A large majority of people are worried about the presence of migrant workers, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying they could cause many problems, according to an opinion survey by the Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.
The poll was conducted online on 1,167 people throughout the country on March 22-25 on the situation regarding migrant workers in the country.
The respondents were allowed to choose more than one answer to each question.
Asked how they viewed the presence of migrant workers in the country, 67.67% thought they might cause more disease outbreaks; 62.01% said they could take jobs away from Thai people; 59.09% said migrant workers are just seeking a better life; 58.15% thought their presence camek from economic problems; and, 53.69% said the migrants could increase crime and threaten the safety of life and property.
Asked what caused migrant workers to enter Thailand, 69.01% pointed to higher wages; 67.12% said they could make their living more easily in Thailand; 63.78% cited hardships and difficulties in their home countries; 54.42% said they are striving for a happier life; and 53.48% said they came because of the labour shortage in Thailand.
Asked how Thailand could be affected by migrant workers, 81.41% mentioned the spread of communicable diseases such as Covid-19; 74.38% said illegal migrant workers could cause additional problems; 68.81% said authorities would be tempted to break the law by allowing illegal entry of migrant workers; 64.27% said Thailand would have to allocate a budget to look after migrant workers; and 59.55% said national security, especially along the borders, could be affected.
Asked what the government should do to deal with migrant workers, 75.16% said it should impose strict control on officials to prevent corruption; 72.13% said there should be long-term measures to prevent and cope with problems regarding migrant workers; 65.01% said border areas should be strictly monitored; 64.75% said the government should be aware of all possible repercussions; and 57.38% said it should set up more effective health screening points.