A total of 92 Myanmar workers, both male and female, were unfairly dismissed without prior notice from a steel factory in Layang area of Chonburi Province, Thailand, according to migrant worker rights organizations. The incident occurred on April 8th when factory management forced workers to sign dismissal papers. The factory owner claimed the dismissals were due to inability to continue paying wages, but worker rights advocates point out that this action violates Thai labor laws and workers’ rights.
Worker advocacy groups are currently attempting to negotiate with factory management and are waiting for permission to enter the factory premises to discuss the situation. The majority of affected workers are male due to the nature of work in the steel factory. Representatives from worker rights organizations report that factory management claims they are processing requests through proper channels to allow advocates to enter the facility and engage in dialogue regarding the workers’ situation.
While Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand frequently face rights violations from employers, the military council’s embassy provides no assistance to affected workers. Instead, the embassy focuses solely on collecting taxes and ensuring remittance flows back to Myanmar. Activists criticize this approach, noting that migrant workers face numerous challenges without proper support or protection of their rights. The situation highlights the ongoing difficulties faced by Myanmar workers in Thailand and their need for support from advocacy organizations, as they cannot rely on their own government representatives for assistance in cases of labor rights violations.
