PHAMIT Site Profiles
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MAP Foundation |
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MAP Foundation works with migrant laborers from various ethnic nationalities in Chiang Mai and with factory workers in Mae Sot to provide greater access to health information and services, and support the labour, health and women's rights of migrants and their families. |
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Mae Sot District in Tak Province sits on the Burmese border directly across from its sister border town of Myawaddy. The border towns are separated by the Moei River, which is easily crossed by a “friendship” bridge as well as at numerous other unofficial points by boat, or by foot during the dry season. |
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Mae Sot has been designated a “Special Investment Promotion Zone” by the BOI (Board of Investment), providing companies special tax benefits to encourage investment. There are now over 200 factories located in the Mae Sot area. Most factories are export-oriented garment factories, but there are also furniture and ceramics factories present. In 2004, over 124,500 migrants, including dependents, registered under the state's general registry (TohRoh 38/1) in Tak Province – second only to Bangkok (203,488). In the same year, 60,564 of those received work permits in Tak; whereas in 2005, the number of those with work permits dropped to 41,242. It is estimated that the actual number of migrants living and working in Tak Province may be over 200,000 when including dependents. |
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Target Groups |
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Being located at a main border crossing with Burma with lots of work opportunities, people from all over Burma are drawn to Mae Sot, with the most significant presence being Burmese, Karen and Muslim groups. In the Mae Tao Mai (or “New” Mae Tao) area, there are approximately fifteen factories. All the laborers in these factories are Burmese, and around two-thirds (almost 70 percent) of the workers are women. In one factory, all the laborers are women. Most women in these factories are aged 18- 25 and are single. Dormitories separate men and women, but allow married couples to stay together. |
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In smaller factories there are about 300-400 workers, whereas larger factories employ 800-900 people; the largest factory has around 3,000 workers. There is an estimated 10,000 workers in total in the Mae Tao Mai area, and most factories are garment factories, but there is also a furniture factory. |
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Factories generally pay 60-70 Baht a day. After housing, water and food expenses are deducted, the average wage earned is about 1,500 – 3,000 Baht a month ($36-$72). An average work day starts at around 8 or 9 a.m. with breaks for one hour at 12, and again at 5 p.m. They usually work until 9 p.m. The time after 6 p.m. is considered overtime, but they only receive 6 Baht per hour. There have been reports of overtime lasting longer than 9p.m. if there is an order pending. Most factories give one day off a month after pay day. If workers are sick, they get a day off but get no compensation. |
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In many factories, water for washing comes from a “pond” in the back that collects run-off. Water from these ponds is often unclean and of a greenish hue although most factories have separation tanks that draw water from these ponds and clean the water using a basic filtration system. One factory that provides drinking water from a deep well reportedly had an outbreak of diarrhea recently, possibly cholera, that affected 90 people. |
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The factories get hot, and during the hot season it is reported that a couple of women in each factory will faint over the course of the day. They are sent to the hospital if it is serious. Although people suffer respiratory problems related to dust, there does not seem to be a direct correlation between environmental conditions in the factories and breathing problems, even though it is suspected. Factory workers are not provided protective breathing equipment. Injuries are common in furniture factories. Although the | |||||