The Chiangmai based Workers Solidarity Association (WSA) will not accept new identification called passport documents supposed to be offered by the Burmese ruling military junta, according to a senior member of the group.
"No one in our group will go to apply for passport documents. Because they are afraid the authorities will not do as they say. Then again many workers are worried the authorities will use our information to persecute our families," said Sai Hawm Khurh.
"They [authorities] tried to issue IDs once in 2006, but we haven't seen any results," he added.
Burma will offer one-year work-permit papers for Burmese migrants workers to work legally in Thailand, according to an official source from Nay Pyi Taw.
The authorities will start issuing the new nationality identification or 'passport documents' in December. And the passports registration offices would be opened along the Thai-Burma border at
Myawaddy, Tachilek and Kawthawng, said the source.
However, no information has reached the people yet, said a worker in Tachilek.
A Burmese migrant worker who wants to apply for a new passport document has to give his/her background information, ID card, and a recommendation letter from his/her boss or business owner.
On the other hand, the Department of Employment (DOE) in Thailand also demanded that employers that hiring migrant workers from Lao PDR and Myanmar submit evidence for national verification, according to a document received by Chiangmai based Migrant Assistance Program (MAP).
On September 5, the DOE opened national verification process for migrant workers from Lao PDR and Myanmar, issuing passports and work permits for those who passed national verification from 1 September 2008 to 28 February 2009, according to a report from DOE.
"The Department has discussed and agreed with Lao PDR and Myanmar on national verification, issuing passport, visa and work permit for workers from both countries," said Mr. Pairote Suksamrit, Director General of DOE.
The report said, Burmese migrant workers can collect the form for submitting the national verification request at provincial Employment Offices with photos and a print of the left finger and send it to Migrant Worker Importation Regulation Division to collect and send to Myanmar government through diplomatic channels for each migrant worker to travel to Myanmar National Verification Centre at Tachilek, Myawaddy, and Kawthawng on the Thai-Burma border.
In 2006, Thailand and Burma agreed to set up nationality identification centres for Burmese migrant workers. However, the two countries failed to successfully implement the agreement.
