More than 60,000 Myanmar workers have returned from Thailand over the past two weeks amid an exodus sparked by new labor regulations. Over half of the Myanmar returnees have funnelled through a land crossing in Kayin (Karen) State on the southeast border, according to organizations assisting the workers.
“Every day, one thousand people are returning via the Baw Gate, which is on the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge,” said U Moe Gyo, chair of the Joint Action Committee for Burma Affairs (JACBA).
In addition to the Baw Gate, he added that the workers are streaming in through the Ye Le Kyun, 999 and Kyauk Lone Gyi gates, which are all located at the Mae Sot-Myawaddy border.
The workers began to flee Thailand at the end June after new, stringent labor protocols and fines were announced.
According to the new regulations, workers who cannot show their permit during an inspection can be fined 10,000 baht. If the employer or job listed on the work permit is incorrect, the workers can be fined 100,000 baht, while employers who hire unregistered workers or those with a permit from another employer can face a fine between 400,000 and 800,000 baht.
In an effort to appease panicked employers as workers began clearing out of Thailand in the wake of the announcement, the Thai government declared a 120-day grace period before the new regulations can go into effect.
Nevertheless, many undocumented workers chose to leave for fear of police raids and crackdowns.
“We were sent back [home] because we don’t have passports or visas. We came back after paying 3,500 baht as we were afraid of the police. I didn’t have money so I had to borrow from my friend. I don’t plan to go back to work in Thailand. I will open a motorcycle repair shop in my own hometown,” said Ko Wai Yan Phyo from Okkan in Yangon, who returned via Mae Sot-Myawaddy border crossing.
Thailand has long struggled to bring its substantial migrant labor force into the legal fold. Labor activists have criticized the kingdom for its kaleidoscopic document requirements, which shift frequently, often leading to confusion and exploitation by brokers.
Ko Ye Min, from the Thailand-based Aid Alliance Committee, said many of the Myanmar migrant workers may return to Thailand once workers assistance groups help sort out the right paperwork.
Officially, between 2 and 4 million migrant workers are employed in Thailand, forming the country's low-skilled, economic backbone. But rights activists say the number, especially of undocumented workers, is much higher.
