Despite the inclusion of nondiscrimination protections based on nationality in Thai labor law, Mae Sot is known as a black hole of labor abuse for the many Burmese migrant workers who produce apparel there. Burmese workers in Mae Sot face a range of workplace violations that often go unreported and uncorrected due to their status as migrants.

The Kanlayanee Case

A case that started almost by accident has resulted as a rare success. As the Mae Sot border area is an area known as a “black hole” for labor rights, it is no accident finding a factory that exploits its workers in this area. However, the Kanlayanee factory was not on MAP’s radar. The things that happened were, in part, because of MAP’s long-standing presence and interventions in the area.

WRITER: Hena Lee

Strengthening community and family supports is a key requisite for addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the migrant community.