Myanmar worker dies after fleeing Thai police raid at Bangkok-area construction site

A Myanmar migrant worker died last week after fleeing a police raid at a workers’ housing complex near the Thai capital Bangkok and falling from the fifth floor of an under-construction high-rise, according to a group that assists Myanmar workers in Thailand. Zin Ko Htet, 29, fell to his death in Rangsit, Pathum Thani Province, on the night of September 16, said Mone Tine of the Workers’ Assistance Group (WAG). According to Mone Tine, Zin Ko Htet had a passport, a Thai migrant-worker registration card, and a work permit. However, the employer listed on his work permit had not yet been changed to reflect his new job. Fearing arrest, Zin Ko Htet fled when police raided the workers’ housing complex, Mone Tine said. He ran into the nearby construction site and entered an opening that had been intended for an elevator shaft. “The opening he went into to hide did not have an elevator installed yet,” Mone Tine said. “That’s where he fell.” Zin Ko Htet had been working at his new workplace for a little more than 10 days, Mone Tine added. “His documents were complete. It’s just that the employer’s name hadn’t been changed yet,” he said. Under Thai employment regulations, the employer listed on a migrant worker’s permit is required to match the worker’s actual employer. Workers can face arrest or other penalties when their records have not been updated after changing jobs, according to migrant workers’ advocates. WAG said Zin Ko Htet’s body was expected to be claimed for funeral arrangements. His wife remains in Thailand, and his family will decide whether to pursue legal action over his death, Mone Tine said. The incident comes amid concerns among Myanmar migrant workers about immigration enforcement, documentation, and working conditions in Thailand. Mone Tine said workers increasingly fear arrest over discrepancies or delays involving their employment and immigration documents. “In the past, if your employer’s name didn’t match or if a deadline passed, there was just a fine,” he said. “Now, the crackdown is so strict that if your employer’s name doesn’t match, you get arrested.” He said workers also face concerns over requirements such as 90-day immigration reporting and visa renewals. A 30-year-old Myanmar woman living in Thailand said that many migrant workers rely on agents to help them get their work permits, paying between 5,000 and 10,000 baht (US$150-$300) each year to obtain and renew them. However, actually receiving the permits can take months, leaving workers vulnerable to arrest during frequent raids on construction and factory sites. “Our work permits expire every year in December,” she said. “But we only get [the renewed permits] in our hands in July. Some people have to wait as late as September.” She said the uncertainty leaves many workers afraid to travel or move freely, even after obtaining legal documents. Thai law also restricts the types of jobs that foreign workers may perform, and workers are generally required to perform jobs corresponding to the occupation listed on their permits. Thailand hosts millions of migrant workers, including large numbers from neighbouring Myanmar. The International Organization for Migration estimates that between 1.4 million and 3 million Myanmar nationals were legally residing and working in Thailand between 2020 and 2024. Including undocumented workers, refugees, and displaced people, the total number of Myanmar nationals in the country could exceed 4 million, according to IOM estimates cited by WAG. Thailand is the main destination for Myanmar migrant workers, with many employed in Bangkok and surrounding industrial areas, as well as in Samut Sakhon, Mae Sot, Ranong, and Chiang Mai. Myanmar workers are concentrated in several sectors, including fisheries, seafood processing, construction, manufacturing, food services, and other service industries.

Myanmar worker dies after fleeing Thai police raid at Bangkok-area construction site

The incident highlights the vulnerability of workers who face delays in updating their work permits despite being fully documented

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