Saravan charges residents fee for working in Thailand

Vientiane Times, 28 August 2008

Residents in Nakhonpheng district, Saravan province, are being forced to pay 150,000 kip per year to village authorities if they cross the border to work in Thailand.

The fee is not sanctioned by provincial authorities or the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.

Saravan Department of Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Director, Mr Buala Khounthinith, said his department was aware of the issue but had not yet issued an order to stop it.

“The issue was discussed at a meeting in July when our provincial governor told us to work with village authorities to decide whether it is suitable to collect fees from those working in Thailand,” Mr Buala said.

“Village authorities explained they wanted to earn some income for those working in Thailand which would be used by the village administration. This is also a method to deter people from leaving home to work in Thailand illegally.”

Mr Buala said he would consult with the provincial governor to seek a resolution to the issue.

“I disagree with the idea of collecting money from Lao workers in Thailand because some people return home without any money,” he said.

“They work very hard to get money for their families, but if we take a fee from them they will get nothing.”

Villagers in Nakhonpheng district say they are unhappy with the fee and feel like local authorities are taking advantage of them.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare's Skill Development and Employment Department Director General, Mr Phouvan Chanthavong, said provincial authorities had not reported to the ministry about this situation.

“I think local authorities are issuing their own rules to minimise the illegal migration of Lao workers to Thailand,” he said.

He declined to comment on whether charging the fee was right or wrong, saying he wanted to see a report from provincial authorities first.

“In the future, we will standardise all rules regarding migration issues to avoid confusion and complaints from villagers,” he said.

Mr Phouvan is unable to say when the standardised rule will be introduced until after a meeting between Lao and Thai border governors scheduled at the end of this year.

This is not the first time Lao people have been charged a fee for working in Thailand. A similar situation occurred in Champassak province last year when local authorities charged people 200,000 kip upon their return from working in Thailand.

Illegal migration has been a problem for decades. Lao people cross the border to work in Thailand illegally to escape poverty and because they share language and cultural similarities. Thai authorities informed Laos in 2006 there were 96,000 illegal Lao workers working in Thailand.

Some officials believe this figure must be higher when seasonal workers are included. In Saravan province alone, officials said more than 10,000 Lao people were currently working in Thailand.