Thailand to allow re-entry of Myanmar migrant workers

Myanmar migrants returning from Thailand seen on Myawady Friendship Bridge. Eleven/Asia News Network

MYAWADY — Thailand will soon allow re-entry of Myanmar migrant workers who returned home for various reasons at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, says Moe Gyo, Chairman of Joint Action Committee for Burmese Affairs (JACBA).

“Thai citizens are being substituted for migrant returnees from Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Bangladesh. However, Thai citizens aren’t skillful at the marine and construction fields. So, they got injured and died. During this situation, Thai understands the value of overseas migrants coming from its neighboring countries including Myanmar. That’s why a female spokesperson of Thai Prime Minister said that they would allow re-entry of overseas migrants under the arrangement of Government to Government and MoU systems starting from June to end of July,” said Moe Gyo.

Government expects massive Myanmar migrants will return home this month via No.2 Myanmar-Thai Friendship Bridge. But, the number of returnees declined yet.

There were nearly 2,000 Myanmar returnees on May 6th. However, the rate declined double since the beginning of May 8th.

Among the returnees, some were arrested in Thailand due to the various reasons and some were pregnant.

As there have been factories shutdown and restrictions during COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand, there were a total of 26,082 Myanmar returnees since the beginning of May 23rd to June 13th under the bilateral agreement between Myanmar and Thailand.

Myanmar migrants returning from the IDC camp in Thailand were kept in the Quarantine Center in Kyauklonegyi ward, Myawady District for 21-day. And then, swabs of returnees were sent to the National Laboratory in Yangon for COVID-19 tests.

Myanmar workers are re-entering Myanmar through Myawady border gate as well as Ranaung-Kawthoung and Mesai-Tachilek border routes.