Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
People & Culture
Thailand's cohesive national identity provides a unifying patina for ethnic and re-
gional differences that evolved through historical migrations and geographic kinships
with ethnically diverse neighbours.
THE INVISIBLE BURMESE
During the most oppressive years of the Myanmar state, an exodus of Burmese made their way to Thailand. Ap-
proximately 150,000 people have entered the kingdom as political and ethnic refugees, but the vast majority are
economic migrants (estimated at two to three million, of which less than half are documented). They fill the low-
level jobs - fish-processing, construction, and domestic and factory work - that used to employ unskilled north-
eastern Thai labourers. In the south, most of the hotel and restaurant staff you meet day to day will likely be from
Myanmar. Many Thais believe Thailand needs this imported workforce as the population is ageing faster than it is
reproducing.
However, the emerging immigration 'situation' has not been dealt with as swiftly by the government as the
private sector. Because many of immigrants are residing and working in Thailand illegally, they are subjected to
exploitative relationships with employers; many human rights activists describe their working conditions as
modern-day slavery. These people can't return home due to possible persecution by the Myanmar regime and they
can't turn to the Thai authorities in cases of workplace abuse because they would risk deportation.
