No, no, no! That was the firm answer from Labour Minister Padermchai Sasomsap when the business sector and rights groups repeatedly asked him to extend the nationality verification deadline to allow migrant workers more time to obtain the passports, visas, and work permits required to work here legally.

Playing tough, Mr Padermchai also threatened to immediately deport any migrant workers who failed to meet the Dec 14 deadline.

As many as 2 million people may be subjected to this mass deportation. Don’t believe the 300,000 number quoted by the government. That’s far too low.

With no system for safe deportation, imagine the commotion that will ensue. The migrant workers, most of whom are from Myanmar, are destined to suffer from maltreatment and extortion from officials on both sides of the border.

Given Mr Padermchai’s past attempt to deport pregnant migrant women, I don’t think he cares.

The deportation threat has not only sent a wave of panic throughout the migrant communities, it has also worsened the country’s image internationally.

Thailand is already facing boycott warnings from the European Union and the US due to widespread human trafficking and abuse of migrant labour, particularly in the fishery industry.

Fear of forced deportation will push undocumented migrants deeper underground, make them even more vulnerable to labour abuses and subject them to more aggressive police extortion. Subsequently, Thailand will come under fiercer international scrutiny over human rights violations and probably face a new round of boycott threats.

Does Mr Padermchai know what he is doing?

To be fair, his hardline policy is no different than those undertaken by his predecessors _ which failed miserably.

Before the advent of the nationality verification scheme, the government tried to keep track of undocumented migrant workers through the registration system, which was plagued with problems. Among these maladies were red tape, high fees, an insufficient time frame for submission of paperwork, a lack of labour benefits, and no guarantee against police extortion.

Since the labour law still prohibits migrant workers’ mobility and changing of employers, and since their legal documents are still confiscated by the employers, a large number of migrants choose to stay underground rather than join the system.

To force migrant workers to register, the government’s tactic was to issue an ultimatum: register within the deadline, or face deportation. When the initial deadline came, employers protested and the labour authorities played tough. They would reach a compromise and either the deadline would be extended or another round of registration would be scheduled.

When the government opted for nationality verification as a process to legalise underground workers, the system was plagued by the same old problems, and more.

To start with, the workers were required to submit identification papers from their governments. This is often not possible due to poor civil registration systems in their home countries.

When combined with the problems of red tape, high fees, the prospect of debt bondage, and no guarantee of improved work conditions, many decided to stay underground.

It’s clear. If the government wants all undocumented workers to be part of the mainstream labour system, the legalisation process must be cheap and easily accessible. It must also offer clear benefits such as a minimum wage, freedom of movement, and the right to change jobs.

Yet, Thailand refuses to offer that. The underlying problem is deep-rooted prejudice against migrant workers. When viewed as national security threats, elimination is naturally the answer. Hence, the policy fixation on deportation.

Migration is a normal phenomenon throughout history. And until recently, integration has always been our country’s choice towards newcomers. This openness is key to the country’s economic vitality and cultural richness. Racist nationalism is a recent phenomenon.

Unless we see this, forced deportation will remain the core policy on migrant labour management. As Thailand’s population ages and younger workers are required to keep the economy alive, we’ll soon regret our refusal to allow migrants to be part of our workforce.

By then, we will not be able to blame anything else but our own prejudice.

By Bangkok Post

Published on 19 December 2012