Thai company to pay compensation to next of kin of 54 workers

by Than Htike Oo

Friday, 03 October 2008 19:03

Chiang Mai – A Thai Life Insurance Company is likely to pay compensation of Baht 100,000 for each of the 54 Burmese nationals who died of asphyxiation in a ten-wheel container truck in Ranong district, southern Thailand while sneaking into Thailand illegally. On April 9 this year, 121 migrant workers illegally entered Thailand in a deep freezer container vehicle of whom 54 died of asphyxiation. Now it is learnt that the Thai Insurance Company 'Liberty Insurance' is likely to pay compensation of Baht 100,000 for those who died. "The Ranong lower court has passed the order in accordance with the law. The compensation has come about mainly due to Thai lawyers and NGOs here who in cooperation did the job," Ko Htoo Chit, Director of Thai based Basic Human Rights Education Institute, told Mizzima. The vehicle in which the migrant workers were travelling is insured with the 'Liberty Insurance'. According to Thai law, anyone who dies in a car accident is entitled to get Baht 100,000 compensation if it can be proved. But the date when the compensation is of to be transferred to family members is not yet known. "It takes time to translate the required documents to Thai language and sending required documents to the Burmese authorities. So receiving the compensation is delayed. I think it ought to have been received by concerned family members two months ago," he added. The Human Rights organization is cooperating with Thai lawyers and attended the court hearing in Ranong in September 22. Two defendants in this case admitted their crime in court and the Burmese authorities are cooperating in this case to ensure compensation from the Thai Insurance Company. "The judge said nothing about compensation. But one of the defendants (car owner) admitted his crime in court. Then they said they would take action in accordance with the law. It has nothing to do with the judge hearing the case. The court has heard the case at least four times", he said. These migrant workers sneaked into southern Thailand in a container truck and 54 of them died of asphyxiation in Sutsamram between Ranong and Phuket. The survivors were detained by Thai Immigration in Ranong prison for about two months and then sent back to the Burma border. Though the Thai authorities could arrest the car driver and vehicle owner, the human trafficking gang which masterminded it, is still at large. Most of these ill-fated Burmese nationals were from Kyaikto, Thaton, Mawlamyine and Chaungsone in Mon State.