Newly amended Thai Labor Law includes fines on unregistered workers and their employers. The enacted “Decree Concerning the Management of Foreign Workers’ Employment” involves fines ranging from 400,000 to 800,000 baht and jail term up to 5 years in prison. Tens of thousand of Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam migrant workers have been fleeing back home since it was issued. According to Reuters, an Immigration Bureau official said about 60,000 workers left between June 23 and June 28 and the number has risen, since. Migrants without proper documents are in fear of police and losing their money. “If we were arrested, we would have to pay money to police. If this happened, all of our money would disappear,” said Thu Ya, who worked in a Thai Plastic Factory.
