Ko Htoo Chit, Executive Director of the Thailand-based Foundation of Education and Development (FED) is calling for the Myanmar and Thai governments to coordinate the opening of their borders to allow Myanmar migrant workers return home safely.
“Both countries should negotiate and open all the border [crossings] within a limited time-frame, ” said Ko Htoo Chit. There are “officially recognized borders between the two countries, including Mai Sai-Tachilek, Myawaddy-Mae Sot, Ranong-Kawthaung, and Tikhi in Kanchanaburi, but only a few are open,” he added. However, there are also unofficial spaces where crossing the border takes place.
Many factories in Thailand have been shut down due to recent outbreaks of C-19. As a result hundreds of thousands of workers now face unemployment, or a reduction of hours. The Thai government estimates that there will be many Myanmar workers returning home in the coming weeks.
With such large numbers of Myanmar migrant workers becoming stranded in Thailand, Ko Htoo Chit believes more border crossings need to be open and accessible so that migrants can return to their homes safely and quickly. This includes the border at the Three Pagoda Pass (TPP) area, though not an official border point, migrants do use the crossing.
Because border crossings fall under the control of the Tatmadaw and Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs), Ko Htoo Chit argued, they must coordinate their efforts to scrutinize the border areas.
However, the NMSP’s Central Executive Committee member, Internal Affairs spokesperson, Nai Banyar Lel posted a video on the New Mon State Party’s (NMSP) social media network page, explaining the NMSP will no longer allow migrant workers access to the Three Pagoda Pass (TPP) area.
The reason is because of the public health need to contain the spread and pace of infection of C-19. Migrants crossing at a limited number of official and open border points means it is easier to directly transport all individuals to nearby quarantine camps.
This is not the case at the TPP unofficial border crossing, which is why the NMSP has closed that border crossing.
The policy of limited border crossings is part of the government’s strategy to contain the potential spread of C-19 .
Getting home: Process for both recognized and undocumented workers.
Myanmar migrant workers planning to return before April 30 are required to complete a form to make the necessary arrangements with the Bangkok based Myanmar Labor Attaché Office. The form can be found at this link https://forms.gle/kbxdZLLVbmDM7NYJ9.
The Vice-president of the Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN) Ko Than Zaw Hteik, offered the reassurance that migrant workers without proper documentation can also register at the link above.
Nai Banyar Lel, further explained, “documented workers, as well as undocumented workers, should only go to Myawaddy. The Minister of Mon State’s Security and Border Affairs has explained to us that the government will take responsibility for their return to Myanmar.”
It is also expected the Myanmar Embassy and Thai government will negotiate to allow undocumented migrant workers return home through other border crossings.
Ko Than Zaw Theik clarified, “We will get the list [of returnees] from the embassy and will review the registrants. Then, the list will be sent to the Mae Sot based Myanmar Labor Attaché Office for review. After that, the workers will be sent onward to Myanmar. The Myanmar government requires [all returnees] to go into quarantine for 21 days, before they will be sent home.”
