Authorities to blame for entry of illegal migrants: poll

Authorities to blame for entry of illegal migrants: poll

Soldiers in Mae Sot district in Tak stand on the bank of the Moei River to guard the Thai border with Myanmar. (Photo by Assawin Pinitwong)
Soldiers in Mae Sot district in Tak stand on the bank of the Moei River to guard the Thai border with Myanmar. (Photo by Assawin Pinitwong)

Government authorities are to blame for failing to properly enforce the law and being corrupt, allowing the entry of illegal migrants that sparked the recent Covid-19 outbreak in the country, according to an opinion survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.

The poll was conducted online on 1,295 people throughout the country during Feb 6-12 for opinions about "illegal migrants and Covid-19". The respondents were allowed to choose more than one answer for every question.

Concerning the illegal entry of migrants that apparently set off the recent wave of Covid-19 in Thailand, 72.14% cited negligence on the part of law enforcers; 71.21% said the existing laws were flawed and carried weak penalties for violations; 65.63% said corrupt government officials were responsible; 44.04% cited the demand for labour by Thai businesses; and 43.27% cited the country's labour shortage.

Asked what actions should be taken, the answers comprised: stricter enforcement of the law (68.32%); higher penalties for officials allowing migrants to enter the country illegally (67.39%); higher penalies on business operators hiring illegal labourers (59.63%); all migrants should be allowed to enter via permanent border checkpoints only (56.99%); and higher penalties for illegal entry (53.34%).

Asked whether they agreed with certain specific courses of action, respondents voiced support for the Labour Ministry's plan to register illegal migrants as a "special case", reasoning that doing so would enable them to work legally (63.81%); the ministry should have a transparent database on the number of migrant labourers (62.96%); employers and business operators should strictly cooperate with the ministry (62.49%); registration of illegal migrants would help stop the virus from entering the country from abroad (54.40%); and registration should be carried out systematically (52.53%).

Asked their opinions on additional measures, the respondents suggested that Covid-19 screening points should be arranged in communities and at workplaces (60.71%); all migrants workers should be tested for Covid-19 (59.08%); an annual medical check-up should be provided for migrant workers (55.67%); migrant workers should receive necessary humanitarian assistance (55.43%); and officials should know how to take care of their own health and prevent themselves from the virus (54.35%).

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