Experiences were shared among Burmese migrant workers who hold temporary passports at a workshop that was held yesterday at Chiang Rai hall, in the Chiang Mai university compound, northern Thailand.

The workshop brought authorities from Governmental departments such as Immigration, Labor Employment, Labor Protection and Social Welfare. Other attendees included NGOs who work on migrant workers' issues in Thailand, 100 migrant workers with temporary passports, and other individuals interested in migrant workers’ issues.

Ms. Phantilar Karawhbanliyan from the Labor Employment department explained the process of making temporary passports and work permits. She also shared the difficulties of migrant workers, explaining that, according to authorities, there are around 50,000 migrant workers in Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand, but only 2000 of them have temporary passports. She believes that many are afraid that the Government will ask them to pay taxes for their family members in Burma, and intentionally give incorrect Burmese addresses so that their families are not disturbed. This can cause delays in making temporary passports.

Ko Sai, a Shan migrant work said, “My whole family has migrated to Thailand and we didn't have an exact place to live in Burma. According to Thai labor law, we are only allowed to Thailand for four years. After four years, we have to return Burma. We don't know how to go back and we have no home in Burma. We also don't have national identity cards so it is impossible for us to go back.”

Migrant workers who joined the workshop shared the difficulties that they are now facing and asked questions such as: Are Burmese migrant workers allowed to join the Thai labor union? Are those who have 10 year living cards allowed to have temporary passports? Does the Thai Government have a policy for giving labor rights training to employers? And, where does one report that migrant workers have abused labor rights?

Ms. Ban Kyanwan from the Labor Protection and Social Security department discussed labor rights, labor security in the working field, the health care system and migrant workers’ benefits.      While explaining labor rights protection and social security, she mentioned that when workers have to leave their job for whatever reason, their saved money has to be given to them within 7 days.

As for working time, according to Thai law, workdays should last only 8 hours with a 1 hour rest and one day a week has to be allotted for holiday. There should be at least 13 days off for public holiday per year and among those, six should be free days.

A female worker who joined to the workshop also shared her experience, exclaiming that, “workers who work in massage parlors, restaurants or mini bars, have no holiday and if they are late for work, their wages are cut by minutes or hours depending on the time that they arrive.”