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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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 Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 3:31 pm Post subject: Thais workers in Korea have same problems as teachers |
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http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=112529
Minister visits Thai workers in S Korea
SEOUL, Aug 28 (TNA) - Thailand's Minister of Labour on Monday led a team of senior Thai officials to visit Thai workers in South Korea in order to review their work-related problems prior to a regional meeting for labour ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Wednesday.
Labour Minister Somsak Thepsuthin met with some 100 Thai migrant workers in the South Korean city of Kimbo who have been reportedly frustrated by delayed salaries, unpaid overtime work, premature termination of employment contracts, physical abuse and even sexual harassment by employers.
Mr. Somsak said the problems facing the Thai workers would be discussed with South Korean labour officials and cautioned that some of the problems could take some time to solve.
Mr. Somsak told the Thai workers to be patient and not resort to violent means to try to get their problems solved.
''Don't use violence in solving problems like the Thai workers in Taiwan," he cautioned, referring to an incident in Taiwan's southern city of Kaohsiung last year.
"Now, Taiwan doesn't want to take Thai workers despite how skillful they are,'' said the Thai minister.
The riot in Taiwan more than a year ago was set off by the use of force by employers after some Thai workers breached dormitory rules.
Mr. Somsak asked the Thai migrant workers in South Korea to write postcards conveying messages of their determination to do good things for the country and for His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulayadej on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of His Majesty's accession to the throne this year.
During the upcoming ASEAN labour ministers' meeting, the Thai minister is scheduled to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on labour export with his South Korean counterpart. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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From everything I hear, the South Asians have all the same problems we do, just in a much greater degree, with the added problems of not being white and much longer hours for much less money.
I have a friend who has Sri Lankan friends here. He says the Sri Lankans are notified by the Dep't. of Labor when the Immigration Dep't. is scheduling a raid so they can hide. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:22 am Post subject: |
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| Not exactly surprised. |
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DCJames
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 6:57 am Post subject: |
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| Koreans have along way to go... |
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own_king
Joined: 17 Apr 2004
Location: here
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| Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 10:36 am Post subject: |
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| They have much harder jobs and face more discrimination as well. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes. |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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| It's a bit insulting to compare the plights of Thai workers and English teachers in Korea. I am no expert on the matter but I'd say English teachers have it much, much, much easier than the Thais. English teachers would earn more, have less hours, easier work, have more job opportunities etc. etc. |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Mashimaro wrote: |
| It's a bit insulting to compare the plights of Thai workers and English teachers in Korea. I am no expert on the matter but I'd say English teachers have it much, much, much easier than the Thais. English teachers would earn more, have less hours, easier work, have more job opportunities etc. etc. |
That's exactly what I was thinking. I'm sure a Thai person would be insulted to hear white North Americans complaining about how bad they have it here. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 10:42 pm Post subject: Re: Thais workers in Korea have same problems as teachers |
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| from the article wrote: |
| The riot in Taiwan more than a year ago was set off by the use of force by employers after some Thai workers breached dormitory rules. |
This would get me, if I were them.
Dormitory rules!
I had those at one camp I worked a few years back.. everyone had to be in the building at 12 midnight (no exceptions).. it was torture.. except I was able to get away on the weekends free from it by staying out all night.
I don't think the Thais would be given the possibility of even staying out all night elsewhere however. In other words, absolutely no social life whatsoever. |
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John Henry
Joined: 24 Sep 2004
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| Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 11:51 pm Post subject: |
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I'm sorry...what problems are we talking about exactly?
If I think about it hard enough, here's the list of problems I can think of.
1. The security guy in my building doesn't speak English.
2. I have too much free time at work, so I have to sit on my arse and surf the web.
3. I can't find a good Chicken Marcella to save my life.
4. I don't have a clothes dryer, so I have to use one of those drying rack things.
5. People often want to buy me lunch/dinner/drinks when I'd rather just go home.
6. When I go out to dinner everynight, it's sometimes hard for me to decipher the menu.
7. People say, "Hello" and "Nice to meet you", and I know they don't REALLY mean it.
8. When I go to foreigner bars, I meet a bunch of drunk losers.
9. It gets really hot in the summer, so I have to sit in an airconed room all day.
10. It gets really cold in the winter, so I have to sit inside a heated room all day.
I'd like to see the list of problems that the Thai laborers have. I'm sure we have a lot of items in common. |
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JZer
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 1:04 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
1. The security guy in my building doesn't speak English.
2. I have too much free time at work, so I have to sit on my arse and surf the web.
3. I can't find a good Chicken Marcella to save my life.
4. I don't have a clothes dryer, so I have to use one of those drying rack things.
5. People often want to buy me lunch/dinner/drinks when I'd rather just go home.
6. When I go out to dinner everynight, it's sometimes hard for me to decipher the menu.
7. People say, "Hello" and "Nice to meet you", and I know they don't REALLY mean it.
8. When I go to foreigner bars, I meet a bunch of drunk losers.
9. It gets really hot in the summer, so I have to sit in an airconed room all day.
10. It gets really cold in the winter, so I have to sit inside a heated room all day. |
Not to mention:
11. Most of us take vacations that cost as much as what Thais and Filipinos make in three to five months.
12. Thais use their money to feed their children, wives, and parents. Most English teachers are merely saving $500 US-$1000 US. Many English teachers save more than the Thai workers make in a month.
13. If Thais get injured at work their families back home often don't eat. If I don't work, my parents would probably give me money until I found a new job.
The average salary of my Filipino friends is 800,000 Won a month.
Man, we really have it tuff. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 5:06 am Post subject: |
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Pay, benefits, and housing issues. Yeah- nothing in common.
Some of you may have it EASY, surfing the web all day- not everyone can say that.
Some of us have had to battle for everything we've earned. |
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ChopChaeJoe
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Where do people get the time to surf the net? i put in 40+ hour weeks and I still feel that I'm not getting enough done. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Read the "list" provided by some of the other posters- THOSE are their toughest problems? Must be nice. |
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