The suspension of business and factories in Thailand due to Covid-19, is forcing Myanmar migrant workers to return home, but their journey is difficult.
Maung Maung, a migrant worker who had to leave his factory job near Bangkok, has been trying to return to Sagaing. He has been stranded half-way home explaining, “… I have to leave the factory, and then roads are closed. I cannot go home and have been stuck here. The factory refused to have me back. Living here is difficult. We have heard the news from social media saying that we will return to [Myanmar] by airplanes and cars. Anyway, I think I can only return home when it is time.”
All returnees must complete an on-line form on the Myanmar Labor Attaché website. The link is https://forms.gle/kbxdZLLVbmDM7NYJ9 . Maung Maung received his confirmation message after completing the form.
Another migrant worker, Ko Zaw Zaw works in Phuket. He explained his situation, “We work at a restaurant on the beach, which has been closed. Our boss told us that the restaurant will be closed until at least the end of October or November. We have to return to Saw Township, Kantkaw District in Magway region. We want to go back to Myanmar now. We have been struggling since the restaurant has closed.”
Ma Ya Min Ei is from Pa Nga Village of Thanbyuzayat Township and she worked at a floral shop on Phuket beach. She cannot get back to Myanmar either and is worried about troubles she may face on the way back to her hometown.
“No one has returned home at the moment. We are worried that going back will be a struggle. We are afraid of getting the Covid-19 infection on the way back. We cannot go back to our home directly as we need to go into quarantine for a total of 28 days – 21-day camp quarantine and 7-day home quarantine. We are also concerned that it could be difficult to come back to Thailand,” she said.
Ko Aung Kyaw, Chair of the Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN) urges migrant workers to only leave after the official announcement is made by the Myanmar Embassy, while also respecting the rules & regulation of Thailand. He is concerned that Myanmar does not have an adequate number of health workers and quarantine facilities. He urges migrant workers in Thailand to keep working at their workplaces wherever possible, and if not to find alternative work.
“If Myanmar people are to return to our home country, we will have to travel for several hours and spend the whole night on the bus from Bangkok and other areas. Although our government was preparing to welcome returning citizens at the beginning of May, the curfew in [Thailand], has now been extended until the end of May. This is hindering us from [getting back home]” he added.
Labor activists estimate there are approximately three million Myanmar workers in Thailand. This includes those with appropriate migrant worker documents and those who are undocumented. According to a news report, about 60,000 Myanmar migrant workers returned home via the Mae Sot-Myawaddy route before the Thingyan festival. To date, 3 returnees have officially tested positive for C-19.
