Myanmar workers at Won Sinh Technology factory in Chonburi, Thailand have reported experiencing discrimination and oppression from their employers. The factory, which employs over 900 Myanmar workers alongside Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese workers, has been specifically targeting Myanmar workers with unfair treatment. Workers have revealed that the factory has been terminating employees without compensation and implementing irregular work schedules without proper justification.
According to workers, the factory initially increased its workforce during peak production periods, but after the Chinese New Year holiday, they began implementing irregular work schedules. Workers are now forced to work on alternating days, with some being made to take three to four days off before being allowed to work for just one day. The factory has ignored requests for daily wage compensation during forced off days and has implemented a contract-based payment system instead of following the Thai government’s mandated minimum wage of 400 baht per day. Workers also report that they face immediate termination for even a single unauthorized absence.
When workers attempt to raise concerns about their working conditions, they face a bureaucratic maze where the factory directs them to brokers, while brokers redirect them back to the factory, effectively preventing any resolution to their issues. Workers who formally resign are given fake work permits, creating difficulties in finding new employment. Those affected must obtain new employer-sponsored permits, costing approximately 1 million Myanmar kyat. Furthermore, workers who participated in protests against these oppressive conditions have been dismissed from their positions. The systematic discrimination specifically targeting Myanmar workers has created a hostile work environment and significant financial hardship for the affected workers.
