NSC pushes for the New Strategy to Systematically Address the Problems of Irregular Migrants, preparing for the ASEAN community in 2015.

Today (24 April 2012), NSC is going to request the Cabinet for approval of the new Strategy to Systematically Address the Problems of Irregular Migrants. As a result, the 2005 Strategy to Address he Problem of Legal Status and Rights of Individuals as well as the 2004 Strategy on Management of Migrant Workers will be annulled.

 

The new Strategy aims to solve the problems related to 3 million (approximately) residual irregular migrants inThailand. However, all measures under the Strategy will take national security and fundamental human rights of people (e.g. right to education, right to health, right to work, right to travel, etc) into account. In the meantime, the Strategy will seriously focus on prevention of new illegal migration.

 

The 2012 Strategy is comprised of these 4 sub-strategies as follow:

1. Sub-strategy to Address the Problems of Irregular Migrants in Thailand: Target groups of this Sub-strategy are including (1) Group of old comer migrants who cannot return to the country of origin (around 680,000 people); (2) Group to fulfill economic needs e.g. irregular migrant workers from Cambodia, LaoPDRand Myanmar (around 2 millions people); (3) Group having problems related to specific security e.g. Refugees from Myanmar, Rohingyas, North-Koreans and; (4) Group of other illegal migrants.
2. Sub-strategy on Prevention of New Illegal Migration
3. Sub-strategy on Promotion of Mutual Cooperation with Neighboring Countries
4. Sub-strategy on Management: Under this Sub-strategy, the Board of Directors on Management of the Strategy to Systematically Address the Problems of Irregular Migrants will be urgently set up and chaired by the Prime Minister.

 

And for the next step, a holistic migration policy, including irregular and regular migration in the country as well as in the region, shall be made in order to support for impact of the ASEAN Community in 2015. 

 

(Thairath, 23 April 2012)