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Thailand: Profile of Kyan Par

Thailand: Profile of Kyan Par

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by IDWFED published Mar 07, 2016 12:00 AM
Contributors: Network of Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW)
One will be amazed by how Burmese domestic workers are organized in Thailand. Kyan Par joined the Network of Domestic Workers in Thailand in Dec 2014, and was soon elected as the President of the Network of Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW) in Thailand.

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One will be amazed by how Burmese domestic workers are organized in Thailand. Kyan Par joined the Network of Domestic Workers in Thailand in Dec 2014, and was soon elected as the President of the Network of Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW) in Thailand.

In three months’ time, they had organized 79 dues-paying Burmese migrant domestic workers. Asking how she did it, she said once she was elected as the president of the Network of MDW, her first priority was to gain membership. She let everyone know their responsibility as leaders – everybody needs to ask their friends to join the Network. By February 2016, the Network had 558 dues-paying members (all domestic workers), including 140 Burmese.

Kyan Par herself has a long story. She has been working as a domestic worker in Thailand for 23 years since she was 17 years old. Her father passed away when she was five. Her mother alone took care of nine children. Since seven years old, she always wanted to go to Thailand to work. “Growing up with my mother, I think I have to help her. I wanted so much to get myself to Bangkok to work,” Kyan Par recalls.

Kyan Par says the Network has changed domestic workers. They have more knowledge about their jobs. Before they joined the Network, they think it depends on their good karma to get a good employer and you suffer from a bad employer because you don’t have full karma. But now, they understand that domestic work is a work. Before they just say “yes, yes, yes” to respond to employers. Now they are willing and confident to speak up to employers.

Source: Network of Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW)

Story Type: Story

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