Negotiation over the Nationality Verification of Myanmar Workers, the Thailand-Myanmar Committee confirmed no arrest for the returned Myanmar Workers.

                         On 12th October 2009, Mr.Phaithoon Kaeothong, Minister of Labour, together with H.E.U Maung Myint, Myanmar Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs convened a meeting to discuss and sign the Agreed Minutes of meeting Nationality Verification of Myanmar Workers 7th Thailand-Myanmar during 10-13 October 2009
                         Mr.Paithoon stated that there was some progress on the negotiation over Nationality Verification of the Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand. As 2,053 from more than 1 million of irregular migrant workers from Myanmar have already been verified the nationality, and approximately 700,000 people have already registered to the authority, but the remaining 300,000 workers are yet to be listed which the National Committee on Illegal Worker Administration will bring this issue into the cabinet meeting next week.    
                         From this Nationality Verification for Myanmar workers, it is considered that Myanmar, which is the country of origin, has certified the nationality of illegal migrants in order to help them migrating legally into Thailand and also granting temporary visa to those already registered to stay and work in the specific sectors which suffered from Thai labours shortage. The granted period will be until 28th February 2010, and can be extended for 2 years case by case. In addition, the service charge, which includes transportation, meals, and miscellaneous expenses to import Myanmar workers, shall be collected and not more than 4,000 THB per person, but the Myanmar authority requested to reduce the fee to 1,000 THB per person.
                         Nevertheless, there was a question from the correspondent regarding the rumours that Myanmar workers in Thailand were facing so many threats such as to be captured during nationality verification in Myanmar, to collect taxes, and to persecute the relative in Myanmar. In this matter, Thailand Minister of Labour and Myanmar Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs insisted that those rumours were totally groundless, but if there is any evidence regarding this matter, it can be submitted to the authority. Moreover, Myanmar government also set up the Labour Assistance Center in Thailand to conduct the public relation in Myanmar language.
                        Furthermore, Myanmar and Thailand have signed the Agreed Minutes of Nationality Verification Meeting between Mr. Jirasak Sukonthachat, Director General of the Department of Employment, and Mr. U Min Lwin, Director General of the Consular & Legal Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar. The objective of an agreement is to reduce the visa fee for first 10,000 legal Myanmar labours from 2,000 THB to 500 THB which the draft was proposed to the Cabinet meeting to approve, and the 500 THB visa fee will add to the Migrant Worker Foundation which would use to manage and return those labours to country of origin without using the regular budget. More importantly, money from the foundation will be used to provide 3 basic social insurance programs which include sickness, disability, and decease compensation whether it is caused by work or not. In addition, the registered labours would receive other required protections such as minimum salary and so on.