Thailand extends deadline for passport applications by migrants

New Delhi (Mizzima) – With the number of migrants registering for passports still extremely poor, the period for Burmese migrants to apply for passports has been extended to two years from the earlier eight months by Thailand, according to the Migrant Assistance Programme (MAP) foundation.

The Thai-Burmese bilateral agreement set an eight month, (June 2009 to February 2010), period to issue passports to Burmese migrants. But on a request by Thailand’s Alien Workers Management Committee (AWMC), to extend the period, Thailand agreed to make it two years.

The AWMC is an influential group comprising national security advisors, officials from the Home and Foreign Affairs Ministries and workers.

“Thailand decided to extend the period for issuing passports to migrants to two years, because only a few have so far registered for passports,” Ko Nick, a MAP official told Mizzima.

The agreement states that Burmese migrants in Thailand should register themselves with the Thai Labour Ministry with detailed personal information.

Thailand in turn will forward the details to the Burmese authorities as part of the process of nationalities verification, after which the migrants would be issued passports at the nearest border points.

Myint Wai, Deputy Director of the Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB), said though there are nearly one million Burmese migrants registered in Thailand, only about 8,000 have so far registered for passports in the past six months.

While labour groups estimate that there are about three to four million Burmese migrants in Thailand, official statistics puts it to about two million he said.

Myint Wai said one of the many reasons for the tardy registration for passports could be the migrants apprehension that they might be punished if they register, as it would lay bare their illegal entry into Thailand to Burmese authorities.

“But if the deadline is not extended, all those who do not have passports would become illegal migrants and could be arrested. I am happy that the deadline is being extended. But as a labour rights activist, I would say that migrant workers are still unable to get their deserved rights.

They are still unable to move around freely and cannot keep their own money in banks,” Ko Nick said.

Thailand has assigned 10 companies to provide services to migrants in the process of applying for passports. The migrants have to pay about 8,000 Baht. But after getting the passport, they have to spend about another 3,800 Baht for visa, labour permit among others, costing over 10,000 Baht, which most migrant workers find hard to afford.

Myint Wai said the cost incurred for passports could be lowered if Thailand cuts out the companies and brings into play respective government departments to deal with migrants directly.

Passports will enable migrants to have personal bank accounts, and would allow relatives to claim compensation, workers, the health insurance and other remunerations should the migrant worker face any misfortune while at work.

According to the bilateral agreement between Thailand and Burma, the passports would have a validity of two years, renewable for an additional two years. Besides, the government would take 15 per cent of the workers’ monthly earnings, which will be saved and can be withdrawn by the worker after returning to his country.

But Myint Wai said migrant workers could face heavy losses if they were to pay 15 per cent of their earnings at the official exchange rate, which is about 5 Kyat for 1 Baht. Currently, the exchange rate in the black market is about 30 Kyat per Baht.

Source :http://www.mizzima.com/news/regional/3401-thailand-extends-deadline-for-passport-applications-by-migrants-.html