[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
BKK POST: Leading rice miller pl
- Subject: BKK POST: Leading rice miller pl
- From: suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 01 May 1998 12:16:00
May 1, 1998
LABOUR
Leading rice miller
plays down threat
Trouble follows move against illegal
aliens
The leader of the Rice Mills Association has played down
reports of a planned protest by rice mill operators who have
threatened to stop buying rice from farmers should the
government go ahead with its plan to deport illegal workers.
The threat arose after the government said it will crack down on
illegal alien labour as part of a new policy to ease burgeoning
domestic unemployment problems.
The operators earlier called on the government to ease
regulations on the employment of foreign workers in their
factories, claiming they have hired workers to carry rice sacks.
Nipon Wongtra-ngarn, association chairman, said such a threat
would not be carried out or he would resign from the post.
"This will not happen. But if it did happen, I would resign as
chairman because such action would badly affect the country and
the farmers," he said.
He also urged the operators to wait for a couple of days to allow
the Employment Department to survey the number of illegal
workers and find replacements.
The association has called a meeting of its members today to
discuss the situation, he said.
He added that he would ask the Police Department if the
crackdown would cover illegal workers in the rice mill sector.
The government has already agreed the deadline for repatriation
of foreigners working for rice mills, quarries and rubber
plantations will be extended for another 30 days.
May Day was the previous deadline to start pushing back as
many as 300,000 illegal workers to free up jobs for Thais hard
hit by the economic slump.
Pol Gen Pornsak Durongkavibul, deputy police director-general,
said the crackdown will be launched in provinces where
employment of alien workers is not allowed.
According to a cabinet resolution, 13 border provinces and 22
other provinces with fishery industries are allowed to hire alien
workers to alleviate labour shortage problems.
As of April 24, about 140,000 alien workers have been
dismissed from the workforce and about 50,000 Thais have
taken vacant jobs, according to the Labour and Social Welfare
Ministry.
Former deputy labour minister Ekkaporn Rakkwamsuk slammed
the repatriation policy, saying it was impractical and could
aggravate economic hardship.
He also said the government lacks information about the labour
shortage.
A local fisheries association in Chumphon said yesterday it
would lodge a petition with authorities concerned, stressing the
need to employ alien workers in the sector.
There are about 5,000 foreign workers in fisheries in the
province and 95 per cent of them are Burmese and they do not
have work permits, said the association.
© The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. All rights reserved 1998
Contact the Bangkok Post
Web Comments: Webmaster
Last Modified: Fri, May 1, 1998