Migrant workers in Thailand under increased scrutiny; Civilians in Myanmar flee airstrikes into India

Migrant workers in Thailand under increased scrutiny

Labor assistance groups and migrant workers told DVB that authorities in Thailand are launching nationwide inspections on all foreign workers to target undocumented migrants and those whose actual employment does not match their work permit details “in accordance with Thai labor laws.” These inspections are being carried out at factories, construction sites, and restaurants nationwide.

“The job on my document is listed as farmer, but I am actually working in a different sector. I have to be very careful during these inspections,” a migrant worker in Chiang Mai told DVB on the condition of anonymity.” Ye Min, the spokesperson at the Aid Alliance Committee, urged workers to remain cautious and ensure their documentation is legally updated to reflect their actual employer and job type.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that Thailand hosts more than 2.3 million registered migrant workers from Burma—many of whom arrived after the 2021 military coup. On May 2, four undocumented workers from Burma were reportedly arrested in Chiang Rai Province while attempting to evade police after allegedly killing their worksite leader in a dispute over unpaid wages on May 1.

Min Aung Hlaing accused of attempting to evade justice

Three prominent human rights organizations have issued a sweeping condemnation of Min Aung Hlaing, accusing Myanmar’s regime leader of using diplomatic coercion to intimidate Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states to try and derail ongoing international war crimes investigations under the legal principle of universal jurisdiction.

In a joint statement, the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network (RMCN), the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO), and the Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP) alleged that Naypyidaw is actively interfering in domestic legal processes across the region to shield Min Aung Hlaing, who was inaugurated as Burma’s president by a pro-military parliament on April 10, from individual criminal liability.

“We urge the governments of Timor-Leste and Indonesia to firmly reject any external pressure and uphold the independence of their judicial systems. We further call on all U.N. member states and ASEAN partners to resist this attempt to normalize impunity under the guise of diplomacy,” the three rights groups stated in a press release on May 5.