Myanmar nationals protest near Bangkok over jobs fraud

Around 150 Myanmar nationals protested in front of a factory near the Thai capital Bangkok last week after learning they had been defrauded by “agents” promising to secure them jobs. According to Khaing Gyi, chair of the labour rights group Aid Alliance Committee, the victims were charged 3,500 to 7,000 baht (US$100-200) each by two Thai women posing as agents for the factory, run by Thai furniture company Index Interfurn Co., Ltd. However, when they arrived at the factory on November 20, they were informed that there were no jobs available for them and that the women were not associated with the company. “Company officials told them the factory had no involvement with the promised jobs and instructed them to leave, warning that authorities would remove them within half an hour if they didn’t,” said Khaing Gyi. “The workers then discussed the situation and chose to remain seated quietly, staying until 10am,” he added. The workers subsequently filed a complaint with the local Thai police and labour protection offices. Teams from various Thai departments arrived to investigate, and their case was officially accepted the following day, according to Khaing Gyi. He further stated that it is still uncertain when local police handling the case will submit it to the court. Under current Thai law, recovering the defrauded money could take years due to the lengthy trial process. One woman said she borrowed money to help three family members get jobs at the factory, and now has no way to repay it. “If I don’t get my money back, I’ll be in trouble. I have children to support, and I don’t have the money to pay back the loan now,” she said, speaking to Myanmar Now on condition of anonymity. According to Thai media reports, a warrant has been issued for the arrest of the two women involved in the case, which took place in Mahachai, an area west of Bangkok with a large Myanmar migrant community. The two women allegedly gathered service fees and documents from the Myanmar nationals near the company's security gate. When some who had paid the fees showed up to start work, the women claimed that only night-shift positions were available, and then fled when the workers demanded their money back. Myanmar’s economy has suffered a major decline since the military seized power nearly four years ago, forcing many in the country to flock to neighbouring Thailand in search of work, both legally and illegally. However, many have been unable to find jobs, making them prey to scams promising employment opportunities. Khaing Gyi noted that there could be hundreds of thousands of unemployed Myanmar migrant workers in Samut Sakhon Province, where Mahachai is located, many of them staying with friends. He urged them to be cautious, as they are often forced to use their limited money to secure jobs. “Our workers are desperate for employment. They can only survive by working, and after being jobless for months, they are paying money in advance simply for the chance to apply when job opportunities come up,” he said. Labour activists have criticised the Myanmar regime’s embassy in Bangkok for failing to protect the rights of citizens forced to work in Thailand.

Myanmar nationals protest near Bangkok over jobs fraud

Myanmar migrants, many of them unemployed for months, have become increasingly vulnerable to work-related scams in Thailand, say rights groups

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