The Memorandum of Understanding on Myanmar-Thailand Labour Cooperation was signed on 21 June 2003 and the employment agreement was signed on 24 June 2016.
The MoU system was used to send 915,980 legal workers to Thailand as of 18 March 2020.
The Ministry of Labour resumed the process of officially sending workers to Thailand after negotiations between the two countries.
A total of 287 workers on 10 May and 301 workers on 11 May were officially sent through Myawady-Mae Sot to work in their respective workplaces, and the MoU system will continue to send legal workers on a regular basis.
Myanmar workers working in Thailand through illegal brokers, but not through legal foreign employment agencies, have to pay exorbitant fees and stay in Thailand illegally.
The workers are facing a lack of full employment benefits and arrests are being made in Thailand for illegal work during inspections by the relevant departments.
The arrests took place in several provinces in Thailand, injuring 19 Myanmar migrant workers and 19 others were killed.
Therefore, Myanmar citizens who want to go illegally to Thailand to get a job are more likely to be trafficked. Next, they could face human rights violations, lack of full protection under the law and other human rights violations.
Officials have urged migrant workers not to make illegal entries as they may face various difficulties.
Full legal protection of workers’ rights can be achieved by going abroad legally, officials said.
Information required to work abroad, procedures and a list of foreign employment agency licencing agencies can be found on the Ministry of Labour’s website www.mol.gov.mm and also available on the Department of Labour’s Safe Migration Facebook Page and Safe Migration Telegram Channel.
Further information can be obtained by contacting phone numbers of the Labour Department (Head Office) Nay Pyi Taw, 067-430183 and 067-430284 or enquiring at the Union Territory, Region and State, District and Township Offices. — MNA
