Three Pagodas Pass -- Several migrant workers are heading home from Thailand to southern Burma, according to local sources at the crossing of Three Pagodas Pass Thai Burma border town.
Many returning are from southern Thailand of Panga, Phuket and Surathani Provinces, who work in rubber plantations owned by Thai farmers.
A resident on the border pass told Kaowao that about 500 to 600 migrant workers are crossing from Thailand to Burma from the Three Pagodas Pass every day.
“Someday, starting from the New Year to this month, about 1000 from different areas in southern Burma, from older people to children, are crossing this border and the majority are Mon people,” said a local businessman.
Bo Layeh, a NGO worker based in Maharchai told Kaowao that the main reason for leaving Thailand is their safety in the southern provinces and the crackdown by the government while tightening the new policy that replaces work permits with Burmese Temporary Passports. They fear arrest by Thai authorities because many workers failed to file for national verification papers by the March 2 deadline. The crackdown on migrant workers has begun where alien immigrants are employed.
“Many workers don’t want to apply for the temporary Burmese passports even if it allows more freedom because they don’t have enough information and are afraid that they can be charged at home or have to pay more bribes to the local authorities through their families,” he added.
Migrant workers pay varying fees depending on their destination. Those who come from far south Phuket and Surat pay about 4500 Baht while those from Maharchai pay 2500 Baht. “They also have to pay for their bags and bargain with the driver,” said a car driver from the border town.
Chan Ong, who works with the migrant community in Bangkok, said his money exchange business is deteriorating because of the slow economy in the kingdom and he is focusing on picking up retuning migrant workers this year. The return trips are arranged by service agents who issue permit letters and immigration authorities.
Last year, many migrant workers were heading home due to the global financial crisis that hit Thailand. From 50 to 100 migrant workers were crossing over from the Three Pagodas Pass border check point every day during this time in 2009.
“We (rubber plantation workers) are often attacked by local gangs and robbers. They come wearing masks and ask for money and gold. If we cannot pay them, we are torture or killed. That is why we have to leave the rubber farms,” says a migrant worker from Kawdut village, Ye.
Most Mon workers from Burma work in the fishing, construction and rubber plantation industries.
