No way to treat a guest
THAILAND’S Labour Ministry is scrambling to carry out damagecontrol measures, including setting up temporary stations to register some 2 million illegal migrant workers. But if the government had seriously thought through the measures recently proposed for foreign migrant workers and introduced sound policies instead, the Labour Ministry would not now be in such a chaotic predicament.
It has hastily established 101 temporary centres across Thailand where migrants can register over the next few weeks. “We believe we will be able to legalise 2 million migrants during the 15-day period,” Labour Minister Sirichai Dithakul said. Workers from Myanmar formed the largest group of migrants registered the first day, followed by Cambodians and Laotians.
Officially, these centres are meant to minimise the impact of the Royal Decree on Managing the Work of Aliens 2017. That is the controversial document threatening fines of 400,000 baht to 800,000 baht (about $12,000 to $24,000) for employing foreign workers without a permit. Since it came into effect last month, employers have laid off a significant number of illegally hired workers. Tens of thousands of these decided to return to their homelands, resulting in immediate labour shortages in some sectors.
Realising the government’s initiative required further review, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha invoked his special powers under Article 44 of the interim constitution to suspend until the end of the year four key clauses relating to the harsher penalties. Such back-pedalling would have been unnecessary if policymakers had done their job properly in the first place.
It seems that the generals produce and approve policies in the heat of the moment. While they may turn to professional civil servants for advice, one has to wonder if they heed the advice. It might also be fair to ask whether the bureaucrats dare give the generals honest advice, lest it counter their belief that they rule by popular mandate. This is not to say that the military doesn’t have a grand plan. It does: The grand plan is to remain in power as long as possible.
If the generals are genuinely interested in meeting the country’s needs and interests, they need to put in place rules that ensure sustainability. These would include the respectful treatment of foreign labourers and ensuring them the rights and services to which they would normally be entitled.
No one should forget that it was by the sweat and cheap labour of foreign workers that Thailand became the strong nation it is today. Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia share a border with Thailand, but that doesn’t mean their workers can easily travel back and forth. Many have to take their chances with officials along the border, who often have no hesitation in exploiting them.
Any complaint about foreigners disrespecting Thai law must be met with the observation that Thais frequently break and abuse their own laws.
We do so every time we demand or pay a bribe. It’s a collective show of disrespect for our own society and for Thailand’s international standing, and an insult to our neighbouring countries whose peoples we mistreat.