Suu Kyi calls for permission to establish schools for Myanmar children xxx
Samut Sakhon, Thailand - Democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi met with Myanmar migrant workers in Samut Sakhon province on Wednesday, and called for permission to establish schools for them.
Suu Kyi, 66, arrived in Bangkok late Tuesday on her first tripabroad in 24 years, ahead of the World Economic Forum on East Asiameeting scheduled for Thursday.
The opposition leader met with compatriots at the Migrant Worker Rights Network in the province, a hub for migrants workingin the fisheries industry.
"Her main recommendation was to ask permission from Thailand toopen learning centres for the migrants," said Andy Hall, an expert on Myanmar migrant workers at the Migration Centre of Thailand's MahidolUniversity.
"She wants to give the migrant workers information about theirrights so they can fight for their rights," he said. "But they can'tread or write, so education is very important." Officials estimate 2 million migrant workers in Thailand, about 80per cent from Myanmar. Observers say there may be up to 1 millionmore unregistered migrant workers.
Suu Kyi also visited the Mahachai shrimp market that employshundreds of her compatriots. The crowds greeted her with chants of "Mother Suu, long life!" and waved pictures of her and her father, Myanmar's independence hero Aung San.
"We're taking the morning off to see her, even though the bossesdidn't allow it," said Gia, a migrant worker in Thailand for 10years. "I have never seen Suu Kyi before, I've only seen her on TV." "We want her to know our problems here," said Ni, who has been inthe country for 15 years.
Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand often have to pay bribes aswell as formal fees for entry permits, and face excessive workloads,inadequate pay and frequent harassment by officials.dpa
