- Mr. Tharit Charungvat, Director-General of Department of Information and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs answered press queries about a news article which reports that Thailand had been criticized by the United Nations-commissioned Report for its treatment of migrants, refugees. The gist of his comment is as follows:
- What was conveyed by Mr. Daniel Schearf in the Voice of America’s (VOA) article was not the content of the UN-commissioned Report entitled “International Migration in Thailand 2009” but rather a reaction from discussion from the floor at the launch of the Report. The tone of Mr. Schearf’s article could be misinterpreted.
- On the contrary, the Report praises the Royal Thai Government’s effort to improve the overall living conditions of migrants. It even stresses that “The Thai government has been very active in the last several years in implementing progressive measures to enhance migrants’ access to health and education, and in producing legislative measures on international migration.”
- With regard to the registration of migrant workers, it reflects the Thai Government’s effort to systemise and legalise the existing illegal migrant workers, with a view that once their status is made “legal”, they would enjoy the rights and protection under the Thai Labour Protection Act.
- The Report also concludes that the Thai Government has been very active in the last two years in producing legislative measures on regularising international migration and that these past and ongoing efforts are to be commended.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th
-PM-