Thais Don’t Need to Make Myanmar Migrants Their Enemy
The 1 November physical assault on a prominent Myanmar activist in Bangkok by right-wing ultranationalist Thais has exposed very fragile tensions beneath the surface – a belief among some conservative Thais that the estimated 3.33 million Myanmar workers in Thailand constitute a threat to national security or, even worse, that these workers are taking over […] The post Thais Don’t Need to Make…
In Thailand, some right-wing ultranationalists have attacked an activist of Myanmar origin, Veera Saengthong, for speaking out against Certificate of Identity (CI) centres operated by Myanmar officials in collaboration with Thai authorities. These centres burden migrant workers with financial obligations, such as sending up to 25% of their income to Myanmar.
Veera, a leader of the Bright Future group, expressed concerns about the funds potentially being misused by the repressive Myanmar regime. The incident sparked a wave of anti-Myanmar sentiment, as ultranationalists claimed that low-paid workers were attempting to take over the country. One ultranationalist claimed that job applications for a café were only received from Myanmar nationals, suggesting a fear of Burmese people taking over Thai society.
However, Veera warned that the removal of these workers could lead to a standstill in the Thai economy, as they are essential for various industries, including manufacturing and seafood processing.
Written by urgent.news from Khaosod English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
