Regional News

Thai Junta Denies Crackdown on Migrant Workers as Arrests Continue..

Cambodian migrant workers get off a Thai truck upon their arrival from Thailand at a Cambodia-Thailand’s international border gate in Poipet, Cambodia

POIPET, Cambodia — As the number of Cambodian workers returning home under pressure from Thailand approached 200,000 on Tuesday, the returnees made troubling allegations about their treatment by Thai authorities.

While rumors of beatings and even killings by the Thai military have not been confirmed, several returnees have told of being extorted by soldiers or having relatives taken away, with their whereabouts still unknown.

Cambodian migrant workers step off a Thai government vehicle after upon their arrival at the border.

Thailand’s military has been running the country since staging a coup on May 22. Martial law remains in force nationwide. It announced soon after the takeover it would crack down on the illegal employment of undocumented foreign workers, who number in the hundreds of thousands. They come mainly from the poorer neighboring countries of Cambodia and Myanmar and fill low-paying jobs in industry and services shunned by Thais.

Banteay Meanchey province governor Kor Samsarouet said Tuesday some 190,000 Cambodians workers had returned home this month, most through the checkpoint at Poipet.

Thai authorities have asserted that there has been no abuse involved in the repatriation of Cambodians, and that they left voluntarily, panicked by stories that some of their compatriots had been shot, or that they may be arrested. Some left after dismissal by their Thai employers, themselves liable to legal penalties for hiring them.

Underlying workers’ suspicions is bad blood between the two nations. Cambodians resent their bigger, richer neighbor, whose people they consider arrogant. The two nations have had several armed skirmishes in the past decade over disputed border territory, and Thai army and paramilitary rangers have been accused of shooting dead Cambodians who were allegedly logging illegally on the frontier.

Thailand’s foreign ministry has said there have been no deportations or forced repatriations of foreign workers. But comments by other officials are more nuanced, distinguishing between those who are working legally and those who are not among the Cambodian worker population, which may number as many as 400,000.

“There is no policy to round up migrant workers but if the authorities find illegal workers, then they must repatriate them,” Thai Labor Ministry Deputy Permanent Puntrik Smiti said Monday.

Several returned workers interviewed in Poipet confirmed fear had been their motivation to leave. But others spoke of problems with Thai authorities.

Sary Muy Huy, 43, said she had been waiting at the border checkpoint for three days, scanning the Thai trucks that arrive and discharge groups of returnees. She said her 25-year-old son went to work a month ago at a construction site in Sa Kaeo province in eastern Thailand.

She said that on the afternoon of June 9, he called to tell her, “Mom, I have been arrested by Thai soldiers.”

“Since then I have not heard any news from him,” she said.

Pen Thea has been waiting for two days for her 28-year-old son, who worked illegally at the same construction site in Sa Kaeo. She had also been working there, one among about 100 Cambodians, when a group of Thai soldiers arrived.

“When those soldiers arrived at our work site, they asked us if any Cambodians worked here. We replied, ‘Yeah, all of us are Cambodian,’” she said.

The soldiers asked them to stop working and told the women workers to pack their things for leaving Thailand, she said, and ordered the men to come with them. Her 28-year-old son and 42 other Cambodian men were loaded on to pickup trucks that then drove away. Pen Thea said she was too scared to ask the soldiers to let her son go because they looked tough.

“For the two days I have been here, I have seen many people, but not my son,” she said. “I am very worried for his safety. I cannot sleep or eat for the moment because I am thinking about his fate.”

Another woman who was returning home, 36-year-old Hem Pong, said she left Thailand voluntarily, but still met with trouble.

She said Thai officers near the border — she wasn’t sure if they were soldiers or military police — told her and the people she was with that they would each have to have their thumb prints taken and pay 500 baht ($15.41). She paid.

“If we didn’t pay them, we would be dragged off and sent to Bangkok,” said the mother of two young boys.

Fear motivated Seng Soeun, 27, who had been working in construction in Thailand’s prosperous Chonburi province for three months. He said that on Friday, his boss told him that it was no longer safe for illegal Cambodian workers. He said they were welcome to take the risk of staying, but he could not guarantee their security.

“When I heard his words, I was shocked, and thought I would be arrested if I continued to live in Thailand because I am an illegal worker,” he said, grasping the side of a Cambodian army truck that was taking him further along his journey home to Cambodia’s Kampong Speu province.

He and some friends hid in a forest in Chonburi for three nights, sleeping in hammocks.

“In the forest I could not sleep well because I was worried about running away if Thai solders or military police approached us,” he said. “When we heard dogs barking, all of us woke up and got ready to run.” They slipped out to a market only at night or early morning to get food.

He said that even if he could do so legally, he had decided he would not return to Thailand.

“In Thailand, life is better than in Cambodia, in terms of earning money,” he said. “But I am Cambodian, I cannot speak Thai, so my life is at risk.”

Regional News

Thai Immigration Police Detain Over 26,000 Illegal Migrant Workers

Thailand’s Immigration Police have detained approximately 26,000 illegal migrant workers from Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia during an eight-day operation in Bangkok and surrounding regions, according to a Royal Thai Police spokesperson.

Mr Adisorn Keudmeuangkhon of the Bangkok-based Migrant Working Group said the drive was in response to an increasing number of concerns about an influx of illegal migrant labor.

“Some Thai people see that many illegal workers are competing for their job positions in the past few months,” he told me. “That’s why the ministry has to take tougher action.”

Civil strife in Myanmar and the recent implementation of a military conscription have driven thousands of Burmese into Thailand, while severe inflation and limited job opportunities in Laos have also encouraged an influx of workers from that country.

Between June 5 and 12, officials detained and checked 20,111 Myanmar laborers, 1,659 Laotian migrant workers, and 3,971 Cambodian workers, according to the Ministry of Labor.

It marked the start of a 120-day campaign to audit workplaces and arrest unlawful migrant workers, according to the government.

Migrant Workers to be Deported

According to Keudmeuangkhon, undocumented workers face fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 Thai baht (US $136 to $1,365), deportation, and a two-year prohibition on re-entering Thailand.

Authorities did not intend to file criminal charges, he claimed.

Authorities raided 1,774 workplaces, according to Moe Gyo, chairman of the Joint Action Committee on Burmese Affairs, which advocates for Myanmar labor rights.

He stated that since the military junta activated conscription, there has been an upsurge in the number of arrests of Myanmar citizens in Thailand who do not have a work permit identity card.

All men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 must serve in the military for at least two years. The first group of 5,000 conscripts summoned by Myanmar’s junta will start duty at the end of this month, military sources told AFP on Monday.

According to Keudmeuangkhon, the bulk of Lao migrant workers in Thailand work as fresh market shopkeepers, restaurant servers, and mall salespeople.

Most people visit Thailand as part of ASEAN’s visa-free policy for tourists, but they stay longer than the 30-day restriction once they find job.

“Employers like to hire Lao migrant workers in the service sector because they can speak fluent Thai,” he told me.

Immigration Police Detain Illegal Migrant Workers

The Thai Cabinet may approve an enhanced program for Thai employers to register their unauthorized foreign workers in July or August. Keudmeuangkhon explained.

Last month, the Thai Ministry of Labor’s Foreign Workers Administration office announced that 268,465 Lao migrant workers were officially working in Thailand.

Baykham Kattiya, Lao Minister of Labor, told Radio Free Asia earlier this month that there are 415,956 migrant workers in other nations, the majority of whom work in Thailand.

According to her, the Lao government believes that over 203,000 persons working outside of the nation lack proper work documents.

However, a Lao official familiar with the labor industry informed Radio Free Asia, a BenarNews-affiliated news station, on June 20 that the number of illegal Lao migrant workers in Thailand and abroad is likely significantly greater.

“They go to other countries as illegal migrant workers through different types of methods – as tourists or students,” said the politician. “Thus, it is hard for the immigration police to collect data on these people.”

Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers

Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers

News

High School Student Dies After Being Electrocuted By School Water Dispenser

14-year-old boy was electrocuted by a water dispenser: File Image

Thailand’s Office of Basic Education Commission has initiated an investigation into the electrocution of a 14-year-old student by a water dispenser in a high school. The event happened at noon on Friday, during the high school’s sports day. The victim was a Grade 8 student.

According to local media in Trang Province, the incident occurred when a teacher instructed the pupil to turn off a water dispenser amid a heavy rain.

According to a witness, the child collapsed while strolling with his friend near a water station. The friend claimed he attempted to assist but was also shocked by electricity.

According to reports, the friend then recovered, left the site, and requested assistance from teachers. A teacher ran to the scene and used a towel to pull the boy away by the ankle. He was taken to the hospital, but it was too late, they claimed.

The event sparked criticism from parents and netizens over school safety, as well as the slow response to aid the young youngster.

Mr. Chainarong Changrua, head of Trang-Krabi’s Secondary Educational Service Area Office, told local media on Sunday that forensic officers from Trang Provincial Police had visited the area. They discovered the blown breaker switch behind the water dispenser, he explained.

The breaker was burned out, thus the authorities assumed the disaster was caused by a short circuit that allowed energy to spill to a neighboring power pole. The student also appeared wet and was not wearing shoes when electrocuted.

According to the Office of Basic Education Commission, a probe team will complete its investigation this week.

The student’s father, Mr Pornchai Thepsuwan, 53, claimed he was saddened when he saw his son’s body. The boy (Wayu), was the youngest of two boys, he explained. He stated that following the tragedy, the school director and staff gave financial assistance to the families.

Mr Pornchai also said he would not seek charges against the institution because he believed it was an accident.

Electrical accidents in Thailand

Electrocution instances in Thailand have increased alarmingly in recent years. Many mishaps occur as a result of improper wiring and inadequate maintenance of electrical systems.

Public locations, such as schools and markets, frequently lack adequate safety precautions, putting individuals in danger. In rural areas, antiquated infrastructure exacerbates the situation, resulting in more frequent and serious events.

Although several high-profile cases have brought these challenges to light, genuine progress has been gradual. Furthermore, the rainy season heightens the likelihood of electrical accidents, as water and exposed wires do not mix well.

The government has made steps to strengthen safety standards, but enforcement is patchy. More education on electrical safety could help to reduce these accidents.

Unfortunately, better infrastructure and tougher rules may have prevented many of these incidents. The loss and injuries caused by electrocution are avoidable, emphasizing the need for immediate action.

Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand

Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand

News

Thailand’s Tourist Police Crackdown on Tourist Scammers in Pattaya

Tourist Police Pattaya: File Image

Thailand’s Tourist Police said it is collaborating with embassies from five countries to combat tourist scams and ten criminal gangs in Pattaya. The Tourist Police Bureau, convened a meeting on Thursday Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am told a press briefing.

Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am, the Tourist Police bureau commissioner said the participants included ambassadors from South Korea, Ukraine, Russia, India, and Switzerland.

He told the briefing the he had ordered a crackdown on tourist frauds, such as fraudulent or low-quality tour operators and unfair sales of goods and services. Stepped-up operations began on June 19 and will continue until June 25.

He stated that the agency was working with numerous organisations to increase tourists’ confidence in visiting Pattaya.

Gen Saksira spent time on the famed Walking Street speaking with officers on duty and assigned them to seek for members of ten criminal groups known to operate in Pattaya.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will visit Chon Buri on Saturday to assess the tourism situation. He intends to visit the site of a future Formula One racecourse near Khao Phra Tamnak in Bang Lamung District.

Prime Minister Srettha recently met with Formula One organisers in Italy to examine the potential of including Thailand on the race schedule in the future.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister will pay a visit to Rayong’s U-tapao airport to discuss development on the airport’s land, with the goal of encouraging investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor.

Police Chief Reinstated

In other police news, Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol has been reinstated as national police chief following the conclusion of an investigation into a highly publicised quarrel, according to Wissanu Krea-ngam, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s counsellor.

Mr Wissanu released the investigation’s findings on Thursday, after the prime minister formed a fact-finding committee chaired by Chatchai Promlert to investigate into the quarrel between Pol Gen Torsak and his deputy, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn.

The four-month study revealed conflicts and disorder at all levels of the Royal Thai Police, but it was unclear whether these issues arose from a single cause or several causes, according to Mr Wissanu.

The findings revealed that both Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate were involved, with each team contributing to the tensions, he noted.

Mr Wissanu indicated that Pol Gen Surachate was reinstated as deputy national police head on 18 April following his relocation to the Prime Minister’s Office on 20 March. A disciplinary committee was formed to investigate Pol Gen Surachate, and he was ordered temporarily suspended from the police force.

Because there were no further difficulties to explore, it was decided to restore Pol Gen Torsak. He plans to retire on September 30.

On March 20, Mr Srettha abruptly transferred both top police officers to the Prime Minister’s Office in an effort to address the growing schism within the police service.

Kitrat Panphet, Deputy National Police Chief, was subsequently named Acting Police Chief. According to sources, Pol Gen Surachate could face money laundering charges related to online gaming networks.

Source: Bangkok Post