Labor Migration Between Myanmar and Thailand: Approaches to the Legalization and Integration of Migrants

Abstract

Migrant work abroad is seen by Myanmar authorities as a way to help achieve the country’s national development goals, reduce poverty and reduce pressure on the domestic labor market. In Thailand’s developing economy, the majority of migrant workers are unskilled workers from neighboring countries, most of whom are irregular (or) undocumented. The Thai government still controls the migration and repatriation of irregular Burmese workers through a carrot and stick policy. But controlling the flow from Myanmar is particularly difficult given the long and leaky borders between the two countries, which facilitate informal migration within the entire system of brokers and fees. The article examines the current aspects of the state policy of the two countries aimed at respecting human rights and freedoms during migration between Myanmar and Thailand, normalizing the situation with illegal migration. The main attention is paid to the study of the process of documentation of migrants.