Many Myanmar Workers Prefer to Continue Staying in Thailand

SAMUT SAKHON, Nov 8 (TNA) - Majority of Myanmar citizens working in Thailand would prefer to continue staying in this country because of higher wages than they would receive in their home country while many believe it would take at least 10 years for Myanmar to improve its economy, said a Thai businessman. Chatip Tangsakulpaisal, chairman of industrial operators at Sinsakorn Industrial Estate located in Samut Sakhon province, made his remarks as many Myanmar workers living in Thailand have returned home to exercise voting rights in a general election being held in Myanmar on Sunday. Impoverished Myanmar is considered by the United Nations as one of the poorest and least developing nations in the world. Thailand’s production would be greatly affected if majority of Myanmar citizens decide to return home but “I personally believe that majority of them would continue staying in this country,” said Mr. Chatip. He said the most vital factors are that most Myanmar workers are not certain that there would jobs for them while they could easily earn 300 baht daily in Thailand compared with only 120 baht in Myanmar. There are approximately 300,000 Myanmar workers in the Thai province of Samut Sakhon, near Bangkok. Reliable sources said most did not return home. Echoing Mr. Chatip’s opinions is Sompong Srakaew, director of Labour Promotion Network also in the province, said many Myanmar workers discussed about Sunday’s election with some said the election could be interpreted as the start of changes in Myanmar. There are about four million of Myanmar citizens working in Thailand and 80 per cent of them work in Samut Sakhon. Most of them are employed in fishing, agriculture and food processing sectors. About 90 political parties are contesting in Sunday’s general election in Myanmar. However, only two main contenders are vying for majority of seats . They are the army-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party and the National League for Democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi. (TNA)