FM to discuss Rohingya issue with Myanmar Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya affirms Thailand will cooperate with Myanmar in returning illegal Ro

FM to discuss Rohingya issue with Myanmar

Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya affirms Thailand will cooperate with Myanmar in returning illegal Rohingya migrants back to their home country without punishing them. The Thai government is preparing to systematize the legal import of Myanmar laborers.

The minister said he was scheduled to visit Myanmar on March 23rd to hold talks with the Burmese government about the Thai-Myanmar relations in terms of problems along the border, alien laborers, and measures to import legal Myanmar laborers.

During his provincial tour in Ranong province yesterday, Mr. Kasit met with 120 illegal alien laborers there. They consisted of Rohingya, Burmese, Lao, and Cambodian people. Most of the illegal Rohingya migrants told the minister that they were afraid that they would be punished if they were sent back to Myanmar. Mr Kasit assured them that they would not be maltreated and Thailand and Myanmar had reached an agreement on their issue during the last ASEAN Summit in Thailand.

The minister expressed his confidence that his trip to Myanmar would lead to collaboration in setting up a laborer import system for alien laborers in a bid to help prevent human trafficking.

09 March 2009
National News Bureau of Thailand