Several United Nations agencies have called on the government to step up efforts in taking care of migrant workers — their rights in particular — saying protection for workers is crucial for international economic competitiveness.
In their recently released Thailand migration report for 2014, UN agencies, including the International Labour Organisation, International Organisation for Migration and the United Nations Children's Fund said migrant workers have played a significant role in Thai economic and social development.
But they do not receive enough protection, especially regarding their social rights and working conditions, the agencies said.
Failing to protect low-skilled migrants from human trafficking and shoddy working conditions will stifle Thailand's economy by deterring essential labour and tarnishing the international trading reputation of Asean nations, the report said.
Responding to the report, former Asean secretary-general and current chairman of Future Innovative Thailand Institute, Surin Pitsuwan, said that almost 90% of Thai people still believe foreign workers are a "nuisance" and that the government should adopt more restrictive policies.
Thailand's low-skill industries — factories, farms, fisheries and construction sites — would crumble without migrant workers, he said. "They serve a function but we don't protect them, they are not machines.
"If we continue to ignore workers' rights, Asean and Thailand will be stigmatised by the international community, foreign investment will be reluctant, exports will be restricted, reputations will be damaged and other regions will take advantage of that," he added.
With the possibility of sanctions looming after Thailand was downgraded to Tier 3 in the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report last year, the government has increased its push to register undocumented workers and improve working conditions.
The UN agencies said the moves were a sign of progress in labour management but much more needed to be done. There are currently 3.25 million migrant workers in Thailand.