A construction site is seen in Dawei Special Economic Zone (Photo/EMG)
Local
workers have been facing discrimination while working at the Dawei Special
Economic Zone project compared to Thai workers, local workers say.
"We have to work from 7 am to 5 pm. The
overtime pay is 1,000 kyats per hour. We have to work overtime almost every
day.
Myanmar workers in Thailand get 300 bahts (10,000
kyats) so we want our salaries to be around that figure. When we receive our
salaries, our overtime hours have disappeared," Ko Saw said.
Ko Saw also said local workers living at the
workers' housing have to pay for electricity and water charges while the Thai
workers are exempted from paying.
Zaw Hein, another worker from the Dawei project,
also said Thai workers receive better facilities in their housing such as
private bathrooms and air conditioners compared to local workers.
"The company hired a chef for the Thai
workers and they get free meals but Myanmar workers don't receive any meal
money," said Zaw Hein.
The company undertaking the project has to make
contracts with Myanmar workers after three-month probation but has been
neglecting to make contracts.
"I've been working here for nearly 2 years.
The company is supposed to make a contract after completing my three-month
probation, but they still haven't. I only receive over 4,000 kyats per day. I
have to work from 6 am to 5 pm," said Zaw Hein.
"Thai workers speak rudely to Myanmar
workers who don't understand Thai. They only don't dare to say them to those
who understand Thai. Also, Myanmar workers are not given personal protective
equipments for work safety," he added.
A local engineer only receives 150,000 kyats per
month while a Thai engineer receives 20,000 bahts (600,000 kyats) per month as
minimum salary, local workers say.
There are over 2,000 local workers and 1,000 Thai
workers at the Dawei Special Economic Zone project.
Local workers say the authorities fail to take
actions against Thai workers when the local workers submit their complaints.
The Dawei Special Economic Zone is being
developed by the Italian-Thai Development Company, but it will pull out of the
project after the contract period is over due to financial difficulties.Share from Eleven Media Group
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