On November 20, 2011, Office of Labour Affairs in Malaysia was informed about a car accident which had left 2 Thai people dead, and four injured. It rushed to Sungai Buloh hospital in Malaysia’s state of Selangor to visit the injured.
All the workers were massagers at Malaysia’s state of Malacca. Although they did not have a work permit, they were registered with the government’s 6p amnesty program. They went to work in Malaysia in July 2011, having had an average after-expense-income of some 15,000-20,000 baht per month. They had to pay 7,000 per month for work permit and 5,000 baht per month for police protection. They decided to flee their workplace after being unfairly treated by the massage parlor’s staffs. According to the Thai massagers, they were paid late, and not entitled for a holiday; they had to pay 1,000 baht to get a holiday and had got slapped on their face after requesting for a holiday. They decided to hire a Malaysian, assumed to be their customer, to drive them to Thailand’s Hat Yai district, paying him 5,800 baht each. They had left Malacca on a Toyota Hilux before the accident took place at 3.30 am local time at KM416 of the North Express Way.
They were driving with high speed and reportedly trying to avoid a motorcycle before the car skidded and plunged down a ravine. Two of them died instantly, one of them sustain a broken bone on her left foot, and the other three sustained minor injuries. After the accident, they were robbed. Their money saved from working, some 30,000-100,000 baht, which they were taking with them on their way home, were stolen by the robber at the scene.
Since the amnesty plan was announced, the Malaysia’s government still has not got a clear policy regarding permission for foreign workers to work as a Thai massager. Many Thai workers have been deceived and lured to work in Malaysia, through various channels, due to this uncertainty.
The Office of Labour Affairs in Malaysia assessed that problems concerning human trafficking and illegal migrant will continue due to both geographical and money factors. Not only that Thailand and Malaysia are located next to each other, which help the travel of illegal migrant workers, the Thai massage business is also very popular in Malaysia for both local and foreign customers, generating big benefit for the operators.
The Office of Labour Affairs in Malaysia, therefore, wants to inform Thai job-seekers that the Malaysia’s government has not permitted a foreign worker to work as a Thai massager and caution them against illegal brokers who would try to lure them to work in Malaysia in the position. They would be at high risk of being arrested by local authorities and being unfairly treated by their employers while their salary would also be deducted, as has happened to the Thai massagers.
For more inquires, contact Office of Labour Affairs in Malaysia via phone at 03-21455868/21456004
