Most of the 3 million Myanmar migrant workers living in Thailand receive lower than the minimum wage and work in unsafe environments, Myanmar’s Deputy Minister for Labour told a workshop on August 1.

“Most of Myanmar migrants working in Thailand are unskilled workers. They are suffering low wages and dangerous working environments,” said Htin Aung who is Deputy Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security.

“Therefore, we need to provide skill trainings to the people who want to work abroad,” he added.

Despite the low wages, increasing numbers of people are leaving Myanmar for Thailand to search for employment.

According to the Federation of Overseas Employment Agencies, about 5000 workers a month are now going to Thailand in search of jobs. This is nearly double the figure of previous years which topped around 3000 workers per month leaving for Thailand.

Thailand’s government earlier set the minimum wage level for migrant workers at 300 Baht per day.

The law is enforced in major cities but those working in border areas are still earning around 200 Baht per day, the federation said.

Undocumented migrant workers are another concern for the two neighbouring countries.

According to Myanmar’s Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, 1.6 million Myanmar migrant workers out of 3 million have been given temporary passports. Thailand currently holds the largest number of Myanmar workers abroad.

Published on 5 August 2013