July 7, 2024

A group of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand staged a protest in front of the United Nations office in Bangkok, calling for the UN and the Thai government to address three key demands.

The protest, which took place around 11 AM on July 7, highlighted three main issues: workers’ rights, border region conditions, and cooperation with the National Unity Government (NUG).

In their demands, the workers urged the Thai government to recognize the pink card (Work Permit) as the sole identification document for migrant workers within Thailand. They called for the cessation of the issuance of CI (Certificate of Identity) documents by the military regime and the prohibition of transferring the 25% tax payments to the military through Thai banks.

Regarding the humanitarian situation in border regions, the protesters requested the establishment of safe, demilitarized zones along the Thai-Myanmar border, where ASEAN chair Thailand could provide humanitarian assistance. They also called for the provision of shelter for IDP (internally displaced persons) camps.

The protesters stressed that humanitarian aid should be provided in cooperation with the NUG, human rights organizations, and ethnic armed groups, without collaborating with the military junta.