By Yoon Satt - Jan 10, 2024
A Thai MoU contract company sold 72 Burmese workers to another company, according to WAG, a Myanmar worker support group. The workers said that the Thai Apisit Engineering & Suppiy Part LTD company, sold the workers with two thousand baht per person to the boss of Power Line whom they have signed MOU together.
"While signing MOU contracts, the Thais signed more people than it really needs. Even if the construction site really need is 20 workers, they bring in 100. While the workers arrive, they send (sell) exceed workers to other businesses. If such thing happened, the Myanmar companies are responsible as the workers did not arrive to Thailand. Thai companies are also responsible. They do things like reselling them to other agent parties," WAG organization’s official said.
It is reported that 72 workers arrived in Thailand on October 17 with an MoU contract from Myanmar agency MOE THIT YAN Co,LTD (Moe Yyan Company) to work at Apisit Engineering & Supply Part LTD in Ban Chang, Thailand.
The WAG also warned that it is necessary to verify the types of work to be carried out while signing a MOU contract in Myanmar, and to talk to the agent company if it is to work in construction job.
"The embassy cannot deal with labor issues effectively. That's why we have to sue the Thai company every time there is a problem in Thailand. The workers need to check carefully what kind of workplace is in the MOU contract. If it's construction, we want them to be sure to check it,” said the WAG official.
There are 10 female workers among the 72 MOU workers who arrived in Thailand. They were supposed to work in Ban Chang according to the contract, but sent to the construction site at Khon Buri.
After encountering difficulties such as not having regular works in the workplace, not being given the wages, not getting to loans and not compliant with the terms of the contract, they were sold by the Thai MOU company. The workers said that they asked the WAG group for assistant as the Myanmar agency does not take any responsibility despite the difficulties they are facing.
