As the factories and businesses in Thailand cannot operate as normal during COVID-19, the numbers of Myanmar migrant workers returning home have increased, according to migrant workers.
Some businesses closed completely during COVID-19 while some open for three days in a week but the daily expenses are higher and impossible to live there. So, the majority of the migrant workers decided to return home.
“The factory I work at closed during COVID-19 and so I decided to return to Myanmar permanently. I will work on my farm,” said Thaung Soe who returned to Myanmar via Myawaddy BCF on July 11.
Soe Lin from Magway Region said, “My work isn’t closed but I feel that I was in prison while staying in Thailand. I got only Baht 7000 per month. If my own country can create jobs for us, no one will go to Thailand.”
From May 1 to July 10, a total of 45092 migrant workers returned to Myanmar.
Among the returnees, majority will return to Bago and Mon state second, Kayin State stood third and Magway Region stood fourth place while only a minimal amount had returned to Chin State.
Myawaddy COVID-19 emergency control committee accepted them systematically for those returning from No-2 Friendship Bridge and sent to quarantine centers in states and regions.
