Yangon blasts Thai labor move

Yangon blasts Thai labor move

YANGON (AFP): Authorities in Myanmar have described as
"pitiful" the repatriation of hundreds of their workers from
Thailand and accused Bangkok of double standards.

"It is rather pitiful that Myanmar nationals, legal or
otherwise, once welcomed in Thailand are now being sent back
home," the report in the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper
said yesterday.

Thailand is cracking down on illegal workers and recently
deported about 500 Myanmar workers found not to have visas.

Thailand -- desperate to alleviate its mounting unemployment
problems -- has said it will repatriate about 300,000 illegal
workers over the next six months, many of them from Myanmar or
Cambodia.