Labour and human rights groups will today petition Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva calling for an urgent inquiry into the start of a nationality verification process for 2 million Burmese migrants working in Thailand. The complex process, requiring migrant’s return to Burma, and on which the Government has disseminated little information, is likely to be ineffective and result in systematic exploitation.

There are an estimated 3 million migrants currently working in Thailand, the majority who entered ‘illegally’ from Burma. In 2003, the Royal Thai Government (RTG) and Burmese junta signed an agreement on ‘nationality verification’ so these migrants could become ‘legal.’ The process was not implemented as the Burmese junta insisted it take place in Burma whilst the RTG maintained it should take place in Thailand, as is the case with Laos and Cambodian migrants. The stalemate continued until late 2008 when RTG agreed the process could take place in 3 Burmese border towns. RTG then announced no migrants would remain ‘illegally’ in Thailand after 28th February 2010 as all must complete nationality verification before this time or be deported. 

This nationality verification process properly commenced in late August 2009. Tour buses carrying migrants to border processing centres are currently leaving main migrant population centres in Thailand and migrants are crossing to Burma to return at varying costs with temporary Burmese passports and then apply for Thai visas. Information is spreading in migrant communities on these developments but the RTG has not yet conducted public relations campaigns with migrants, NGOs or labour groups. The only official information disseminated is from Burmese officials about processes in Burma. Private brokers are now springing up in Thailand however, and providing services at unreasonably high costs. 

Sawit Keawan, General Secretary of the State Enterprise Workers Relations Confederation (SERC), today said: “SERC, HRDF and the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) are increasingly concerned for the safety of Burmese migrant workers as a result of these developments. Migrant workers must return to Burma where there is serious political and ethnic conflict occurring. We are disturbed at what appears to be another wave of exploitation affecting these workers. Nationality verification is a necessary process that can bring benefits to all parties, including migrants, but it is also a sensitive issue. The process is beginning at unreasonable costs to migrants, and just weeks after they endured high costs from a previous registration process. There has been little information provided by the RTG on this process, especially to migrant workers, thus also increasing their risks of falling prey to exploitation.”

The nationality verification process seems two-track. Migrants can submit biographical information to brokers to get called to verify their nationality in Burma and obtain a passport within months, or instead submit information formally to employment offices and receive a slower response. Formal government costs are low (600 - 2,100 baht/US$17-60) but broker fees are unregulated and high (starting around 7,500 baht/US$200). RTG officials often ‘recommend’ private brokers to speed up the process. 

Certain ethnic groups from Burma, including the Shan, are increasingly fearful of disclosing any personal information as rumors of negative effects for their families in Burma surface once this information reaches the junta. Rumors are spreading that the junta intends to catch political activists through the process and that migrants are already being arrested and detained immediately on arrival in Burma. Some migrants report paying money to brokers who disappear without providing services. 

Somchai Homlaor, Secretary General of the Human Rights and Development Foundation (HRDF), today said: “HRDF and our partners will today call on Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to urgently set up an inquiry into the commencement of this nationality verification process. We have requested RTG to strongly urge the Burmese junta to allow the process to take place here in Thailand. This will reduce unreasonable costs being borne by migrants, speed up the process, reduce unnecessary use of exploitative brokers and importantly increase safety for migrants.”

Somchai added: “If the nationality verification process continues as it is, it is likely to be ineffective. But more importantly, we fear Burmese migrants may once again become victims of exploitation, suffer increased debt bondage, and perhaps even becomes victims of trafficking as they travel with unregulated brokers to border areas.”

*SERC is a national confederation of 43 state enterprise unions in Thailand representing over 170, 000 registered members and affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). HRDF is a registered Thai Foundation working to strengthen standards on human rights, democracy and peace in Thailand. The Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) is a committee of 24 labour federations, unions and NGOs campaigning on labour issues in Thailand.