Thailand says it is trying to protect migrant workers. So why are they all so worried?

A drive by the country’s junta to improve conditions for its migrant population sows fear – while activists say the new law does not go far enough

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Migrant workers sort fish and seafood in Samut Sakhon province, Thailand. Photo: Reuters

Published: 10:30am, 18 Mar 2018Updated: 11:15am, 18 Mar 2018

Sai Tun Shwe is a worried man. After 13 years in Thailand, nine of them working at the same garment factory, his work permit is about to expire and for the first time he is unsure if he will be able to renew it. “If I cannot get it done on time, I will be in big trouble”, says the Myanmar-born worker, 41.

Sai Tun Shwe is not alone. Two million migrant workers in Thailand are struggling to renew their work permits before the end of March after a new law threatened fines and even jail for those who did not go through the proper paperwork.

“Employees have been advised to document illegal migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar until March 31. Failure to comply will result in legal action”, the government announced this month.

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Migrant workers will also have to get their nationalities verified by their governments before the end of June.

Adding to the environment of fear, Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the former commander of the armed forces that orchestrated the 2014 coup, has threatened to arrest any migrant worker who fails to register. The crackdown is part of the country’s initiative to clean up its labour record, which has been the subject of international criticism since its fishing industry was exposed as a form of modern-day slavery. While the junta has tried to improve labour laws regarding migrants since it was threatened with EU sanctions, some activists say the improvements don’t do enough.

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has tried to improve labour laws for migrants. Photo: AFP

The government in June approved the Royal Ordinance on Foreign Workers Management, which includes stiff fines and prison terms for employers who illegally hire migrant workers – and for migrants working without permits. Thousands of migrants fled the country after the order was announced last year.