7 January 2012—Mahachai Township, Samut Sakhon Province—

Three Burmese workers leaving a shrimp farm where they worked were attacked today by two Thai youths. One was stabbed repeatedly and is being treated at Mahachai hospital, Samut Sakhon Province.

The Burmese man stabbed is Mr. Ko Than Zaw Oo, a resident of Mahachai Township. He was assaulted by unknown assailants. He was stabbed on back of his right hand, on his right cheek, and on his head.

Mr. Mg Thein Naing who was working overtime together with Mr. Ko Than Zaw Oo at the shrimp farm said, “Three of us were leaving work about 10PM. Two Thai were sitting by the factory gate. Yelling epithets, they started slashing at us with knives. We ran away. Ko Than Zaw Oo ran too, but he was wounded and fainted from blood loss after about 50 meters.”

Ko Than Zaw Oo’s cousin, Ko Zaw, said, “I called an ambulance. It took about 45 minutes to arrive.  My cousin was bleeding heavily the whole time and is lucky to be alive”.

Burmese workers in Samut Sakhon Province are frequently the victims of robberies by gang members seeking to steal such items as motorbikes, mobile phones, or cash.

In strikingly similar circumstances, on 10 January 2008, Mr. Mehm Chit, a Burmese worker, was stabbed in Mahachai Township as he and a co-worker were leaving the shrimp farm where they worked.

Mr. Ko Khain Gyi, a local organizer for workers rights, observed that, “Youths who use drugs are a big problem here. They rob and assault Burmese migrant workers.” He added that there is little or no action taken by Thai authorities in response to the attacks, thus the attacks continue to occur.