Population and censuses
Combine harvesters fill labour gap in Mandalay
Farmers in Mandalay are increasingly hiring combine harvesters to make up for a labour shortage in the region but there are not yet enough machines to go around. As rural to urban migration gathers pace farmers have faced acute labour shortages. Some farmers have cut the ...
Dozens of Myanmar fishermen released from prison in India
Over 100 Myanmar fishermen arrested in the Andaman Sea arrived at Yangon International Airport yesterday, after being imprisoned for years in India for fishing in its waters. “I have been jailed for over five years at Port Blair Prison,” said Ko Zaw Lin Aung, who grew ...
ASEAN struggles to protect labourers
The ASEAN Community, which took effect at the end of last year, has expressed concern about the movement of skilled workers around the region. But its interest in the unskilled labour remains poor, despite the fact that this group provides the real workforce that dominates ...
Police oppose new migrant policies
Police oppose measures to relax regulations on migrant workers holding a temporary work permit, saying the move breaches international immigration principles and will adversely affect the country’s migrant labour management. The police Immigration Bureau recently voiced its objection to the measures through deputy national police ...
Economy sees best growth in three years despite export contraction
Thailand’s economy remained resilient in the first quarter of this year, surprising forecasters by growing more than the previous quarter despite the continued contraction of exports. The country’s economy grew a seasonally adjusted 0.9 per cent in the first quarter, boosted by public spending and tourism, ...
Asean debates rights of migrant workers
The 9th Meeting of the Asean Committee on the Implementation of the Asean Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers opened in Vientiane on 10 May. The meeting was organised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. Participants also discussed the ...
Govt urged to promote at least three $1-billion tech start-ups in five years
Thailand should nurture at least three technology business start-ups worth US$1 billion each within the next five years, according to an industry white paper. Citing the white paper submitted to the government, Patai Padungtin, president of Thailand Start-up Association, said the country needed to quickly develop the ...
Laos needs to consolidate to be successful Asean member: PM
Laos is looking for uncovered potential and opportunities to effectively integrate with the Asean Economic Community in ways that benefit the country. Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said, “Asean has been approved as a community, but Laos is still seeking uncovered possibilities, potential and opportunities that will benefit ...
Abandoned Rohingya migrants reveal new smuggling route
Police apprehended 13 illegal Rohingya migrants left on a roadside in Chumphon province on 27 April, learning that the Malaysia-bound Muslims were being smuggled on a previously unknown route. Keep reading ...
Hardships await fishermen lured to Indonesia
Thai and migrant crewmen risk life and limb for little or no pay. Tunlin is among some 2,900 fishermen who have been rescued and repatriated by the Labour Rights Promotion Network Foundation. The operation, started in 2014, continues to help both Thais and migrants mostly from ...