Going back to Burma

Many Burmese migrant workers in Thailand likely to return to their homeland & families as economy in Burma improves after EU & US sanctions end.

Read a related article in the Bangkok Post today Migrant labour conditions slowly improving, says Myanmar minister.

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Economics

Returning to reform

Myanmar labourers mull a sojourn home to see the changes first-hand, but aren't heading back permanently until wages there rise
20/04/2012
Nareerat Wiriyapong, Business Reporter

Wuey Tong hasn't been back to his hometown of Dawei since arriving in Thailand 13 years ago as an unemployed teenager.

He started out in Chumphon, moved to Ranong and worked on fishing boats, and then made his way to Samut Songkhram.

Wuey Tong works seven days a week at a fish stall, where he is paid 250 baht a day, or 10 baht above Samut Songkhram's current daily minimum wage of 240 baht.

With brighter economic prospects in Myanmar, especially after the landslide victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in by-elections early this month, Wuey Tong and others are contemplating a return home.

"I'm thinking of returning to Myanmar some time next year to observe the situation," said the 28-year-old, adding that he might apply for a job as a tour guide.

If I can get 8,000 baht a month and work at home without having to pay house rent like nowadays, I might go back to Myanmar for good within two years," he said.

Although he has not visited Myanmar recently, his mother went there in January. Wuey Tong's father lives in Dawei and takes care of a two-rai rubber plantation.

"I heard there are a lot of projects under development in Dawei, including an oil-and-gas pipeline," he said. "I believe that Myanmar's economy is going to be healthy in the next couple of years.

Sa Mian, who is five months pregnant, also said she might leave Samut Songkhram for Myanmar for good after giving birth to her first child. The 27-year-old migrant worker has wondered what her hometown near the Thai-Myanmar border looks like these days after leaving it 12 years ago.

"We have heard a lot about Aung San Suu Kyi, and the Myanmar economy is going to be strong three years from now," said Sa Mian, who is currently working everyday at a stall in the Maeklong market for 6,000 baht a month.

"Sa Mian said she might look for a more pleasant job in Myanmar. "I have started having problems with my knees from standing all day long," she said.

Myanmar workers in Thailand have been upbeat, with analysts saying that the recent election could benefit the economy.

The US and EU have indicated that sanctions could to be lifted soon.

Minimum wages in Myanmar were increased this month, doubling from 1,500 baht to 3,000 baht a month to reflect the higher cost of living. This compares to about 5,100 baht in Vietnam and 2,700 baht in Cambodia, said the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). 

The FTI estimates 3.5 million Myanmar migrant workers are living in Thailand, compared with a combined 200,000 from Cambodia and Laos. 

"We have started seeing some Myanmar workers returning home partly because Thai companies have relocated production to Myanmar. Several infrastructure projects are being developed there and they require a lot of workers," said FTI vice-chairman Tanit Sorat. 

Supachai Manusphaibool, managing director of MR&TS consultancy, said hundreds of Thai garment and footwear factories have already moved to areas near the Myanmar border, such as Myawaddy, to lower costs after the Thai minimum wage hike.

There is also a demand for workers from jewellery factories in Myanmar, Mr Supachai added.

Nonetheless, Mr Supachai and Mr Tanit ruled out an exodus of Myanmar workers from Thailand given the current difference in minimum wages.

"The minimum wage in Myanmar is still one-fourth of Thailand's. I think it might be five years before we see a significant number of Myanmar workers leaving Thailand," said Mr Tanit.

Some Myanmar migrant workers remain cautious about the economic outlook at home.

"I have heard many people saying good things about the Myanmar economy over the next three years, but I find it hard to believe," said Sa Sa Su, who has worked in Thailand for eight years as a maid and now receives 300 baht a day.

"I will be glad visiting home sometimes but not going back there permanently," said the 33-year-old.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Economics, Returning to reform, Myanmar labourers mull a sojourn home to see the changes first-hand, but aren't heading back permanently until wages there rise, 20/04/2012, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Business Reporter, link) 

Migrant Labour Vocabulary

migrant - moving from one place to another อพยพ
migrant worker - someone who travels to another place or country in order to find work (an immigrant is someone who comes to live in a country from another country) ผู้อพยพ (See Wikipedia)
migrant labourer - Same as "migrant worker"

homeland - the country where a person comes from (were born and raised in)
hometown - the town (often in the provinces) where a person was born and raised as a child (often before moving to the big city)

reform - improvements in the way government or an organization operates; a change that is intended to correct a situation that is wrong or unfair การแก้ไข การปฏิรูป (See Wikipedia)

returning to reform

mull - think about
sojourn - 1. a brief journey or residence; 2. a period of time when you stay in a place that is not your home (See Wikipedia and Wiktionary)
first-hand - information gained by doing something yourself or from someone who saw it happen
see the changes first-hand
permanently - for all time in the future อย่างเป็นการถาวร
wages - the amount of money earned per hour by a worker

Myanmar labourers mull a sojourn home to see the changes first-hand, but aren't heading back permanently until wages there rise

unemployed - people who have lost their job and are actively looking for a new job (See Wikipedia)
unemployed teenager - a person from age 13 to 19 without a job

stall - a large table or a small building that is open at the front, used for selling things (or for giving people information) รถ หรือแผงขายของ
fish stall - a small table in a market that sells fish

wage - an amount of money that you earn for working, usually according to how many hours or days you work each week or month ค่าจ้าง
minimum wage - the lowest amount of money that can legally be paid to a worker for their work
daily minimum wage
current - of the present time ปัจจุบัน
current daily minimum wage

Wuey Tong hasn't been back to his hometown of Dawei since arriving in Thailand 13 years ago as an unemployed teenager. He started out in Chumphon, moved to Ranong and worked on fishing boats, and then made his way to Samut Songkhram. Wuey Tong works seven days a week at a fish stall, where he is paid 250 baht a day, or 10 baht above Samut Songkhram's current daily minimum wage of 240 baht.

prospects - the possibility that things will happen, especially good things;  the chances of being successful (See glossary) ความเป็นไปได้
economic prospects - what will happen to the economy in the future (especially possibility of a good economy)
brighter economic prospects - better chance of success and of good things happening in the future

landslide victory - of an election in which one person or party gets very many more votes than the other people or parties ถล่มทลาย ชนะอย่างท่วมท้น, ฟ้าถล่มดินทลาย

National League for Democracy (NLD) - the name of the very popular opposition political in Burma headed by Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi (See Wikipedia)

election - the process of choosing a person or a group of person for a position, especially by voting elect (v) electoral (adj) synonym: the polls การเลือกตั้ง
by-election -  an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections (See Wikipedia)

contemplating - thinking about doing something in the future
contemplating a return home

With brighter economic prospects in Myanmar, especially after the landslide victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in by-elections early this month, Wuey Tong and others are contemplating a return home.

observe - to watch or study someone or something with care สังเกตการณ์
observe the situation - watch what happens in a situation
apply for a job - make a formal request to work for a company (in a certain job that is available)
rent - to pay money for the use of something for a period of time เช่า
house rent - the amount of money paid every month for the house you live in
plantation - a large farm where crops such as tea, coffee, cotton, sugar or, in this case, trees, are grown ไร่ นาขนาดใหญ่
rubber plantation  

"I'm thinking of returning to Myanmar some time next year to observe the situation," said the 28-year-old, adding that he might apply for a job as a tour guide. If I can get 8,000 baht a month and work at home without having to pay house rent like nowadays, I might go back to Myanmar for good within two years," he said. Although he has not visited Myanmar recently, his mother went there in January. Wuey Tong's father lives in Dawei and takes care of a two-rai rubber plantation.

under development - currently being built now
oil-and-gas pipeline
a couple - around or about or approximately two (1, 2, 3, ...), not precise 
in the next couple of years

"I heard there are a lot of projects under development in Dawei, including an oil-and-gas pipeline," he said. "I believe that Myanmar's economy is going to be healthy in the next couple of years.

pregnant - having a baby developing and growing inside your body ท้อง ตั้งครรภ์
border - the official line separating two areas, regions or countries เขตแดน อาณาเขต
the Thai-Myanmar border

Sa Mian, who is five months pregnant, also said she might leave Samut Songkhram for Myanmar for good after giving birth to her first child. The 27-year-old migrant worker has wondered what her hometown near the Thai-Myanmar border looks like these days after leaving it 12 years ago. "We have heard a lot about Aung San Suu Kyi, and the Myanmar economy is going to be strong three years from now," said Sa Mian, who is currently working everyday at a stall in the Maeklong market for 6,000 baht a month.  "Sa Mian said she might look for a more pleasant job in Myanmar. "I have started having problems with my knees from standing all day long," she said.  

upbeat - happy and positive because you are confident that you will get what you want มีความหวัง
benefit - to help someone มีประโยชน์ต่อ to get help or an advantage from something ผลประโยชน์

sanctions - punishments; punishment for countries that have broken international law (restricting trade and official contact)
lift sanctions - end sanctions; end the punishment (because situation has changed for the better) 
sanctions lifted

cost of living - "the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living [or lifestyle]. Changes in the cost of living over time are often operationalized in a cost of living index....Employment contracts, pension benefits, and government entitlements (such as Social Security) can be tied to a cost-of-living index, typically to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). A Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) adjusts salaries based on changes in a cost-of-living index. Salaries are typically adjusted annually. They may also be tied to a cost-of-living index that varies by geographic location if the employee moves" (See Wikipedia)

reflect - to show สะท้อน แสดงถึง
minimum wages were increased to reflect the higher cost of living

Myanmar workers in Thailand have been upbeat, with analysts saying that the recent election could benefit the economy.  The US and EU have indicated that sanctions could to be lifted soon. Minimum wages in Myanmar were increased this month, doubling from 1,500 baht to 3,000 baht a month to reflect the higher cost of living. This compares to about 5,100 baht in Vietnam and 2,700 baht in Cambodia, said the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). 

estimates - guesses of what the size, value, amount, cost, etc. of something might be การประมาณค่า
relocated - moved to a new place
infrastructure - the high-cost facilities that everyone in the economy shares (water, roads, electricity, trains) สาธารณูปโภค
garment - clothes
garment factory
demand - the need and desire to buy goods and services by households and businesses

The FTI estimates 3.5 million Myanmar migrant workers are living in Thailand, compared with a combined 200,000 from Cambodia and Laos.  "We have started seeing some Myanmar workers returning home partly because Thai companies have relocated production to Myanmar. Several infrastructure projects are being developed there and they require a lot of workers," said FTI vice-chairman Tanit Sorat. Supachai Manusphaibool, managing director of MR&TS consultancy, said hundreds of Thai garment and footwear factories have already moved to areas near the Myanmar border, such as Myawaddy, to lower costs after the Thai minimum wage hike. There is also a demand for workers from jewellery factories in Myanmar, Mr Supachai added.

exodus - when many people leave a place at the same time, sudden departure of large number of people (See Wiktionary)  

significant - important สำคัญ ที่สำคัญยิ่ง
a significant number of Myanmar workers leaving Thailand

cautious - careful to avoid danger ระมัดระวังไม่ให้เกิดขึ้น
remain cautious - staying cautious, still looking for danger and acting carefully

outlook - what will probably happen in the future; how good or bad things it seems things will be in the future ภาพรวม อนาคต what people think will happen in the future อนาคตที่คาดไว้
economic outlook

I find it hard to believe - It is difficult for me to believe

Nonetheless, Mr Supachai and Mr Tanit ruled out an exodus of Myanmar workers from Thailand given the current difference in minimum wages. "The minimum wage in Myanmar is still one-fourth of Thailand's. I think it might be five years before we see a significant number of Myanmar workers leaving Thailand," said Mr Tanit.Some Myanmar migrant workers remain cautious about the economic outlook at home. "I have heard many people saying good things about the Myanmar economy over the next three years, but I find it hard to believe," said Sa Sa Su, who has worked in Thailand for eight years as a maid and now receives 300 baht a day. "I will be glad visiting home sometimes but not going back there permanently," said the 33-year-old.