Mizzima News

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – A Thai Life Insurance Company has begun paying compensation today for 37 Burmese people, out of a total of 54, who were suffocated to death on their way to Thailand, illegally in a refrigerated container car. The company paid Baht 35,000 each to the families of the victims.

At least 121 Burmese migrant workers tried to enter Thailand illegally in a refrigerated container car on April 9, 2008 and 54 of them suffocated to death on the way. Therefore, the Thai life insurance company, 'Liberty' paid compensation to their families today.

"Only 41 people could come to claim the compensation for their kith and kin yesterday. But, some of them could not produce all the documents needed  to claim the compensation and the family members of only 37 victims were paid Baht 35,000 for each victim," 'Federation of Trade Unions of Burma' (FTUB) Thai Office Labour Affairs in-charge Ko Tin Tun Aung told Mizzima.

The family members of 41 victims out of a total of 54 came yesterday to claim the compensation. But due to lack of required documents, families of only 37 victims received the compensation.

"According to the provision of the law, the compensation entitled in this case is Baht 100,000 in total. We have to go through further court proceedings and the insurance company will pay additional Baht 65,000 later, depending on the court verdict," Ko Tin Tun Aung further said.

"It will take more time. It is difficult to say now as it depends on the court proceedings and court verdicts," he added.

The container car, which carried the Burmese workers, was insured by 'Liberty' life insurance company and the victims were entitled to get insurance benefit at Baht 100,000 each, if their families can prove they were killed by this car.

It has been learnt that Thai lawyers, 'Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma' (TACDB), Burmese authorities in Kawthaung and FTUB worked hard to get the compensation for these victims.

The Burmese victims suffocated to death during their journey near Suk Samraran between Phuket and Ranong.

67 survivors were detained by the Thai Immigration authorities in Ranong for about two weeks and then they were deported to the Thai-Burma border.

The Thai authorities arrested the car driver and owner in connection with this case and they pleaded guilty at the trial court, which gave them 12 years imprisonment each in August 2008. Later, the sentences were lessened by 6 years each for pleading guilty in court.

Most of the victims, who suffocated to death hailed from Thaton, Kyaikto, and Mawlamyaing and Chaungsong towns in Mon State.