Public statement on stance and recommendations of the Migrant Working Group (MWG) On the Thai government before the election of the members of the UN Human Rights Council

The Migrant Working Group (MWG) and its alliance of human rights and civil society networks have proposed these recommendations and demands to the Thai government for the development of measures to protect and defend human rights, particularly among migrant workers and asylum seekers as follows; 

1. Consider to ratify international treaties concerning migrant workers and asylum seekers including the ratification of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICRMW), the Convention on the Status of Refugees, and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise and No. 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining. This can serve as an assurance and framework for the development of domestic laws to protect human rights of migrant workers and asylum seekers.

2. Proceed to develop the strategic plan for management of migrant workers including a strategy for the protection of migrant workers with action plans in response to the violence and rights violations in Myanmar.

3. Consider to review the National Screening Mechanism (NSM) for persons who are unable to return to their country of origin. At the moment, asylum seekers who apply for protection from Thailand are still subject to prosecution invoking the immigration law and this should be considered the double violations of their human rights. In addition, a national strategic plan should be developed to systematically manage and determine statuses of refugees and asylum seekers.  

4. A screening mechanism should be developed and implemented before deporting asylum seekers to face a risk to their life and persecution to ensure no refugees and asylum seekers are repatriated to face persecution. 

This can help to build up assurance and trust within international community that Thailand is sincere and committed to protecting human rights of all groups and to ensure the protection

human rights of migrant workers, refugees, asylum seekers and other people in Thailand and to ensure Thailand can proudly sit as member of the UN Human Rights Council.