Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Thai authorities arrested a Rohingya hailing from Burma on Monday for allegedly forging documents for over 7,000 people to work in Thailand.
Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) spokesperson Pol. Colonel Narat Sawettanant said the 63-year-old suspect Kareem Kasem, a Rohingya living in Thailand for many years, was arrested while registering four Rohingya in Chumphon’s Tha Sae district.
Kasem was charged for working as an agent handling immigrant workers ID cards for Rohingya people and other migrant workers. He was produced in the Criminal Court pending trial.
Pol. Colonel Narat said that Kasem had arranged for workers’ registration by producing fake immigrant worker ID cards for over 7,000 Rohingya people before sending them to work in the fishery sector and as maids.
“The suspect has a nexus with local officials and received money to the tune of 22,000-23,000 baht (660-690 US$) per person for arranging the documents. Part of the money went to greasing the palms of officials. Since 2005, the suspect had made documents for 7,089 people in three districts – Thabsakae, Bangsapan, Bangsapan Noi of Prachoub Kirikhan Province and Chumphon province’s Tha Sae district, south of Thailand,” he added.
Pol Colonel Songsak Raksaksakul, Commander of Foreign Affairs and International Crime Office of the DSI said that the cabinet resolution in 2005 allows migrants, who come to Thailand, to live legally for a temporary period after being approved by local leaders.
But this has also led to headmen of villages and administrative officials at the local level to become corrupt. Some of them helped create the fake documents.
“This process led to human trafficking in several areas across the country particularly in border provinces such as Prachoub Kirikhan, Ranong and Trad,” he said.
The official also said the suspect is normally paid by the migrants but often employers also pay for them. The migrants are employed mainly in the fishery sector and as domestic workers.
Prachoub Kirikhan, Ranong and Trad are close to Kawthong Township in Burma, where more than 100,000 people are from Burma. Besides, it is the gateway for migrants who want to work south of Thailand.
Meanwhile, many more migrants from Burma have crossed the border illegally seeking work in Thailand, particularly after the Thai government’s recent announcement that it would open migrant registration this year for work in establishments where there is labour shortage.
Rights group are worried because they say it is dangerous for workers for they could be cheated by human traffickers and sent to work in dangerous jobs such as in the fishing sector without wages.
by Usa Pichai
Thursday, 02 July 2009 12:03