Labor Pains

The Thai government's latest resolution to control the growing migrant worker population lacks
resolve.

The Thai government is promising a "total solution" to the country's migrant worker population. But if
history is any guide, the new resolution looks just like the latest rendition of previously flawed policies. For
years Burmese migrants have fueled border industries with cheap labor, but with a recession looming the
Thai government is once again trying to tackle a problem that has caused previous administrations to
stumble.

Thai Labor Minister Dej Bunlong has said this latest registration scheme would benefit employers and
workers both. Bunlong said employers would no longer have to pay kickbacks to keep their workers from
being arrested and the workers would in turn benefit from both their legal standing and from the health
care coverage they would be entitled to under the new resolution. This is the first time the government
has offered to issue an unlimited number of work permits. Any worker who is at least eighteen years old
and who is living in Thailand before September 24th is eligible for a permit if they apply before the October
13th deadline...