People from Burma are thronging the border area to enter Thailand illegally seeking jobs.
An average of 70-80 migrants has been arriving in Three Pagodas Pass. On some day about 20 turn up but on June 8 about 200 descended on TPP.
Most are from Mon State such as Mudon, Thanpyzayart, Ye, and Karen State . People from Tenasserim division have also arrived in Three Pagoda Pass.
After the death of 59 migrants from asphyxiation in a ten wheeled- container truck last April, both Burmese and Thai authorities have become strict about Burmese migrants entering the Ranong border town.
More than 1000 migrants are waiting to enter Thailand with their touts.
The Burmese migrants pay 550,000 kyat (15,714.00 Baht) to the tout to go to Bangkok .
According to a broker in TPP the charges from their village to TPP is about 300,000 Kyat. From TPP to Bangkok and areas near Bangkok , migrants pay over 150,000 Kyat. Some pay more than that.
According to a Mon activist in Mudon, not less than three people per household in the rural areas enter Thailand seeking jobs.
"Even though we work hard to survive, we have to pay a lot of taxes to the authorities. That’s why we are left with no money," said Dit Doot, a migrant worker in Bangkok .
According to people in both Mon state and Karen state it is difficult to survive given that their income cannot buy daily food and necessities.
The highest daily income that they generate is about 4,000 Kyat (120 Baht) and that too for some months. A lowly paid government servant gets 30,000 Kyat (about 950 Baht) per month.
Due to a majority of middle aged people seeking jobs in neighbouring countries such as Thailand , Malaysia , Singapore , the work force in the states have decreased. Many farmers and plantation owners hire people from Pegu division to replace the disappearing workforce.
According to a farmer in Mudon, "Most farmers in our township hired workers from Pegu and Irrawaddy Division because they come cheaper than local workers." Most workers are from Waw Township in Pegu Division, Hinnthada, Pyapon, and Panthanow Township in Irrawaddy Division.
Currently farmers are hiring workers from Pegu and Irrawaddy for about 2,000 Kyat per day including lunch and dinner. But the local workers take about 4,000 Kyat per day.
"Some workers from Pegu and Irrawaddy working in Mon state also try to enter Thailand because they see Mon people making more money. They don't know how to go. That's why the touts can easily sell them in Thailand ," the farmer said.
Many of migrant workers have died on the way to Thailand following accidents and after being afflicted by malaria making their way through the jungle to evade Thai authorities.
On June 6, an express bus carrying 23 migrants from Three Pagoda pass met with an accident while negotiating a curve called U-Nyaung before entering Thomg Pha Phum town about 160 kilometres from Kanchanaburi. A woman died and four men were seriously injured among 10 who sustained injuries.
The four men are in Thomg Pha Phum hospital and three are in prison and could deported, said Ko Lay from FTUB who is helping the workers.
