Burmese workers face difficulties due to the temporary suspension of CI bookmaking in Thailand, they say they are discussing the reopening date.
Burmese workers said they are facing difficulties as the temporary suspension of the CI book for Burmese workers arriving in Thailand has come before the deadline.
The CI book is issued by the Myanmar Embassy, and applications are allowed until May 13. However, he said that the embassy stopped accepting the deposit to get an appointment token to make a CI book on April 27.
According to the Bangkok-based Burmese Labor Ambassador's Office, the Myanmar authorities are still discussing the date of re-opening, and the CI ID book application has been temporarily suspended as the specified limit is full.
“There is a certain number of people. It is closed because that number has been filled," a Burmese labor embassy officer told Dawei Watch.
He said that since there are still many Burmese workers making the CI book, the date of reopening is still being discussed by the relevant Burmese authorities and will be announced again.
The CI book is a green temporary identification book issued to Myanmar workers arriving in Thailand who do not yet have a passport.
Undocumented Burmese workers in Thailand have to apply for a temporary residence and work permit card called a pink wallet from the Thai government. According to the workers, this card is only allowed to travel in a certain district, so the CI book has to be processed again to be allowed to travel across the area.
After making a CI book, you can enter a basic labor visa called Non-L-A and legally travel within Thailand, and you can legally return to Myanmar by air.
The Thai government has announced that Myanmar workers who obtained a pink card and work permit last year, and who do not have a passport to extend their visa for 2023, must submit their CI book to work by May 13.
Therefore, the CI book must be completed on time by Burmese workers at the CI book issuing centers in the relevant districts in Thailand.
Currently, the CI book issuing centers are open in Samut Sakhon, Chon Buri, Samut Prakan, and Ranong, organized by the Burmese embassy, and as Mobile Team, Chiang Mai, Pathum Thani, Sonkhara, allowed to do in a short period.
According to Burmese workers, the current extended Work Permit visa must be included in the passport or CI book to legally reside in Thailand, and it will be valid for the next year's extension.
However, as the embassy has temporarily suspended the preparation of the CI book, Burmese workers are having a hard time and they are worried that they will not be able to finish it on time, he said.
"I got the Work Permit one of these days. As soon as I got it, I went to pay for CI, and 7 (7-Eleven) said it was closed. It still hasn't opened yet, so how should I proceed? When I asked the Ranong office, they said it was closed for the whole season. I also asked the Chon Buri office. It is closed. I don't know what to do anymore," said a Burmese worker working in Surat Thani.
Deposits for appointment tokens are allowed at 7-Eleven stores.
A Burmese worker who works in Ko Pha Ngan Island said that if the CI book is not made in time, there will be many difficulties, and in the current situation, there will be no time to make a passport to return to Myanmar.
"If we don't get here in time, will we have to go back to Kawthaung and make the big book (passport)?" If you do that, there is not enough time. In the meantime, I trusted brokers and now I am helpless," he said.
Burmese workers say that the issuing of CI books needs to be reopened as soon as possible for the extended Work Permit to take effect.
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