Foreign workers change the face of Thailand

International Migrants Day is a good time to remind ourselves what a powerful force migrants can be for the economy, for jobs and for cultural dynamism.

Thailand's political and economic landscape currently faces many challenges. But one thing is clear: with proper management, international labour migration can create new opportunities and vitality to a workforce.

Demographics are shifting in Thailand, and labour migration into the country will be an important factor in managing the country's future economy and workforce. Less than 30% of the population is currently under 20 years old. As the productive age group declines, the number of senior citizens depending on old-age benefits, funded by younger workers, will rise.

In the years to come, the economy is expected to grow more dependent on low-skilled migrant labour because of the regionalisation of the economy, the growing demand for primary workers in almost all economic sectors and the aging of the Thai population.

Forecasts in 2006 showed that from 2007 to 2012 there would be a need for 300,000 primary workers of whom only 33% can be satisfied by new Thai entrants to the labour market. In order to maintain a productive workforce and stabilise the labour supply in crucial sectors such as agriculture, con struction and manufacturing, more migrants will be needed. To cater to the needs of Thai senior citizens, this workforce will have to be formalised and pay taxes.

So what steps can Thailand take to properly host and manage the labour migrants that it requires? And what can policy makers do to prepare for the necessary increase in labour migrants in years to come?

These questions were debated this week at a seminar organised by the United Nations in tandem with Thailand's Ministry of Labour. A variety of stakeholders including government officials, academics, employers associations, trade unions, civil society and international organisations discussed how Thailand could best benefit from international migration within an effective policy environment. Their deliberations focused on how migration can be a force for good in Thailand, contributing significantly to human development.

Migrant workers have played a crucial role in defining Thailand as a leading economy in the region. The two million or more unskilled migrant workers currently employed here make up roughly 5% of the Thai labour force. Their contribution to the economy is massive. In 2005, it represented at least 1.25% of the Thai GDP.

At an international level, migration is a fundamental feature in today's globalised world, with some 200 million people, or 3% of the world's population, currently living outside their countries of birth or nationality.

Migration management requires a comprehensive approach that considers cross-cutting issues such as health, development, environment, labour, trade, economy, education, gender and human rights. Thailand has recognised the many needs and challenges related to migration by adopting various laws and policies to protect migrants, such as the Working of Aliens Act, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, the Civil Registration Act, health coverage for migrants and access to education for their children.

But what is lacking is an agreed comprehensive framework that acknowledges the interrelationship between these various issues and a common approach to deal with them in a holistic manner rather than in isolation.

As the current chair of Asean, Thailand could lead by example to the region developing a comprehensive framework for managing migration. It could draw on the foundations that have already been laid through regional initiatives such as the Asean Human Rights Body and the Asean Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers.

One positive recent step in this direction is the process under way to regularise unregistered migrants. Migrants from Burma who successfully complete a nationality verification process are allowed to live and work in the country for up to four years. But the regularisation procedure needs to be refined. Efforts must be made by the relevant government departments to simplify the process and make it easier and cost efficient for migrants.

There are many measures to be taken towards developing a comprehensive and effective migration policy for Thailand. What policy makers must not lose sight of is the central need to put human rights at the heart of migration policy and protect the rights of migrants throughout the migration cycle, whether they are documented or not.

The writer is the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Thailand.