Migrants affected the worse by virus in Thailand

The economic impact of Covid-19 had hit migrant workers in the kingdom hard.

The pandemic has infected millions of lives around the globe. The global death toll is over 348,000, and has been infected by more than 5.6 million people.

Those not directly affected by the coronavirus are self-quarantining and the global economy has been affected by it. Millions of citizens may lose their employment as a consequence of companies closing due to the outbreak.

The Government reported 3,045 verified cases with 57 deaths here in Thailand. But even more is impacted by the economic harm to Covid-19.

There are three million foreign labourers employed in the country, with most of them originating from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, according to the Ministry of Labor. They are not eligible for Thai Government relief packages. 

In the province of Pattani, Vi, 40, she told the Bangkok Post that she had been employed at a sardine factory until Covid-19 changed her living conditions.

The woman, who comes from Cambodia, said that her husband, daughter and two sisters are in the kingdom as well and have lost their jobs.

She said she has not earned any financial assistance and because of border restrictions, the family were unlikely to travel home.

Vi said she and her husband lived a life full of optimism and two sisters here in the kingdom until Covid-19 became a global issue.

For four years she and her husband employed at the Pattani sardine factory.

Before the outbreak, the couple managed to earn 12,000 baht in combined income per month. Living on was enough and sending whatever was left home.

They said 2,000 baht were sent to Cambodia every month before the outbreak and the remainder went on the cost of living in Thailand.

Now they're in a different situation.

"My daughter should already get her baby breastfed," Vi said. "Otherwise we could have had a harder situation."

Vi said she and her husband had resigned because they had to look after their grandchild, but the employer refused them when they tried to return.

"It has been hard to find a position during Covid-19," Vi said. "Corporate bosses don't employ employees."

She said her family now depends on collecting and selling tamarind fruit from her neighbours. "[Neighbors] are very gracious," Vi said. "They 're all asking me to not fall out of a tree." 

She said she can make 400 baht per day now, enough to pay for meals but not rent, noting that she is two months behind.

She said any income the family receives goes to basic needs.

A labor rights advocate, Adisorn Kerdmongkhon said migrant workers like Vi were hit harder than Thai workers.

"Because of the travel ban and border closures, they can not go home and there was no relief policy prepared to help them," he said.

"Nor should they fly to other provinces to pursue other employment," Mr Adisorn said. "They end up having no income and starving to death."

The government should find a way to extend assistance to migrant workers, he said. It should include financial assistance, provisions and the distribution of information in their mother tongue.

Mr Adisorn said that the government should also allow them to return to their countries of origin.

Source Bangkok Post