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Monday, February 19, 2007

Thailand Denies Basic Rights to Foreign Workers in Phuket



Police to crack down on foreign labor


PHUKET: Police have been ordered to crack down on alien laborers using mobile phones or found on the streets after 8 pm, Phuket Vice-Governor Vorapot Rattasima said this morning.


At a meeting at Provincial Hall, V/Gov Worapot said that he had received reports that alien laborers were leaving their registered place of abode after 8 pm and freely using mobile phones, both of which were prohibited by provincial order in December.


I have met with traffic police and told them to arrest any alien laborers they find on the streets after 8 pm. I would also like the media to look out for and report any violators, he said.


Burmese, Cambodian and Lao workers are building Phuket, yet they have less rights than the soi dogs roaming the streets. Plus, they get paid less than the Thai minimum wage.

These workers are ghettoized, exploited, live by a curfew and can't use their mobile phones--and these are legal workers with work permits.

To me, this is sick.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What about all those foreign workers in the Bangkok investment banks and consulting companies who work past 8pm and carry mobile phones in public?

They'll get arrested too, I hope.

Fonzi said...

Quite honestly, I don't know how Thai law can make the distinction.

There must be an organic law somewhere that allows it.