Myanmar and Thailand Partner to Improve CI Issuance Services

          The Ministry of Labour’s Inspector-General and spokesperson Mr. Ananchai Uthaipatanacheep explained that Myanmar had opened the 9 centers for citizenship verification which will issue CI documents to illegal Burmese migrant workers in Thailand during the grace period. Since opening, the Ministry of Labour has received reports from employers that the centers have been over-crowded and slow, and middlemen have also taken the opportunity to collect fees with claims to facilitate a faster process. Labour Minister General Sirichai Distakul has shown his concerns for the long queues and agents, and has assigned the Department of Employment to investigate the situation and enforce penalties for any officer/official involved, where it will work together with Myanmar to shorten the waiting time. 

          Mr. U Win Shein, Director from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population of Myanmar gave a press conference before Burmese nationals and explained that Burmese officers at the citizenship verification centers in Thailand were working according to processes and were in process of managing agents aiming to exploit migrant workers.

          Myanmar has improved services at the centers by increasing processing channels and the CI printers in Ranong, Samut Sakhon and Samut Prakarn, which can now cater to 1,400 queues per day, per center. The remaining 6 centers in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Tak, Nakhon Sawan and Songkhla can handle 1,000 queues per day, per center. The centers will conduct the citizenship verification process for those who have passed the employee-employer confirmation and have paid the service fee via counter service holding or not holding a queue card.

          “The collaboration will provide comprehensive services starting from the Burmese CI issuance, the Ministry of Public Health Administration’s medical examination and insurance process, the Immigration Office’s visa services and work permit issuance by the Ministry of Labour, ensuring they are faster and more convenient. Efforts will also ensure the process is completed within 31 December 2017. Employers who are not facilitated with the services can report their experience to the Ministry of Labour’s report center at 0 2232 1467,” concluded Mr. Ananchai.