Thai adviser pitches Salween water plan

14 February 2012
(Mizzima) – An adviser to Thailand’s prime minister has dusted off a plan 

to build a dam on the Salween River to solve floods and droughts in

Thailand as well as to produce electricity for Thailand.

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Tai Yai labour strike deadlocked

14 February 2012
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Striking workers at the Tai Yai footware factory 

in Rangoon, the owner and government officials could not reach a settlement 

on Monday, as the strike went into its nineth day. Workers are asking

for more pay and improved working conditions.

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Burmese Weaving House Ban Looms in Manipur

14 February 2012

Local authorities in Churachandpur, Manipur State, India, are preparing 

to ban Burmese migrants from owning weaving houses in order to protect

 local business interests, claim sources in the town.

“As [the Burmese] don’t have permission to do business or proper permits

to stay, they can’t run their own weaving houses here. Local weaving

businessmen want the Burmese migrant workers to work only under their

supervision, so we are discussing banning Burmese weaving houses with

the local authorities,” said a local businesswoman.

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Talks fail as Rangoon strikers push on

14 February 2012

Employers have refused to budge on demands made by workers at 

a shoe factory in Rangoon whose strike, now in its second week, has 

once again drawn attention to poor labour conditions in Burma.

Officials from the government’s labour department yesterday attempted

to mediate between strikers and the owners of the Taiyi shoe factory. 

Around 2,000 people have halted work in protest at low salaries and wages 

deducted during the five-day Chinese New Year holiday in January, which 

employees say they were forced to take against their will.

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