The Burmese construction workers beaten by the Thai police, one by one, while they were remodeling the Mae Sot Hospital, Thailand

The Burmese construction workers, who were remodeling the six stories building of the Mae Sot hospital in Mae Sot Thailand, were taken one by one and beaten during the investigation by Thai Intelligence police. The random arrests by the police were conducted not only at their work place but also at their residences according to them.

The problem started with a Thai hospital employee, who had reported to the police that one of his properties, five ounce of gold, was stolen from his house. Coincidently, while the Burmese construction workers in total of 50 people were remodeling the hospital, they were ordered to repair a house near the hospital owned by this hospital employee. Due to the employee’s report, the Thai polices have suspected to the Burmese construction workers, who were working there at that time.

On July 13, a Burmese construction worker was started to get arrested. However, he was released on the next day after his family paid 4000 baht to the police.

On July 19, while they were working at the hospital site, another three Burmese construction workers were arrested by the police again. Soon, the family members rushed to the police station and paid 5000 baht for their releases. And, they were rearrested at 6 pm on the same day.

On July 20, they were released with the bumps and bruises on their faces. They were sent to the hospital for the emergency treatments due to the severe pains in their stomachs and chests.

On July 21, the worker, who was arrested on July 13 and released, was rearrested.

The construction worker’s appeal for their protection from the police was ignored by their boss, the contractor of the construction. Instead, the boss ordered them to come to work everyday. The dilemma that the construction workers are facing now is that they could be randomly arrested by the police if they come to work. At the same time, if they don’t show up to the work, they could be the suspects in this case by the police. Still, every one of them is worried when the time has come for them to get arrested by the police. In fact, none of them is safe and secure at this point.

Therefore, it is the time for the social organizations like the migrant workers associations, the workers associations and the Thai lawyers, who defend the migrant workers, to intervene in this case. These construction workers, who don’t know where to report this problem, are in need of their helps now.

These Burmese construction workers are currently residing near the UN office and TK lay.