Most foreign workers who are living in Thailand as tenants are facing difficulties due to a new temporary stay decree, sources said.

According to the new decree, owners of the land, house, apartment and barracks will need to report to the authorities once as far as a migrant worker lived on their properties are not moved.

It said the new owners of the land, house, apartment and barracks will need to report to the authorities with a new address if a migrant worker moves.

A Myanmar migrant worker said they move around often based on their new jobs and salaries which means the new decree made their lives difficult as well as their employers.

“We have to report it to the immigration office or police station about where we are staying with the recommendation from our employer. Some employers don’t understand about the decree. There are many people who have been fined as they don’t have this report. We are becoming scapegoats due to the unclear labour laws,” said Ko Maw who is working at TRS sock factory in Mae Sot.

Thai authorities enacted immigration act BE2522 to reduce narcotics trafficking, human trafficking and crime cases among foreigners and migrant workers, said Moe Gyo, Chairman of Joint Action Committee for Burmese Affairs (JACBA).

He said, “The military government practiced policies to control foreigners which were not made in former civilian government eras. They appeared to take heavy action on foreigners as well as Thai citizens if needed under the title of national security. Actually, it is because the United States and EU countries imposed sanctions on Thailand trading sector. Thailand is under the military government for over four years now and the policies and laws enacted in this government era are harming foreigners as well as its citizens.”