Mawlamyine, October (15)
The illegal border crossing of Myanmar migrant workers into Thailand continues to rise, labor activists told Than Lwin Times.
After the military coup in Myanmar, Myanmar migrant workers cross the border illegally into Thailand every day due to lack of employment opportunities, a lack of regular income, and a livelihood crisis in the country.
According to Thai authorities, the number of Burmese migrant workers crossing the border illegally is on average 3,000 to 4,000 per month.
The Migrant Workers’ Rights Network (MWRN) chairman, U Aung Kyaw said due to a lack of jobs and insecurity in the country, young people left for neighboring Thailand. There are plenty of employment opportunities in Thailand, so there will be illegal border crossings.
The Thai government has allowed illegal Myanmar migrant workers to apply for work permits (pink cards) through the online system from August 1 to August 15.
However, U Aung Kyaw said that the undocumented migrant workers who arrived after that period were not able to apply for the pink cards in time and were facing difficulties.
Currently, according to the MOU system between Thailand and Myanmar, migrant workers go to Thailand via the official route, while other migrant workers cross the border illegally every day.
News – Than Lwin Times