The Thai government’s announcement of curfew on Wednesday, following unrest and violence by anti-government protesters has put many migrant labourers working in northern Thailand’s Chiangmai province in a spot. They are finding it difficult to move freely and work normally.

On 19 May, the Thai military cracked down on anti-government protesters, better known as the ‘Red-Shirt’ group, in Bangkok. But the violence and unrest spread to Chiangmai, the hometown of  former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra , who enjoys the support of the red-shirts. It is also a place where most migrant workers from Burma live.

The government imposed a curfew in 24 provinces including Chiangmai. People were barred from going outside between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.  People who are found on the street during curfew will be fined Baht 40,000 (US$ 1,234) and sentenced to two years in prison, according to Lanna Thai News agency.

Since the curfew announcement, many community radio stations, restaurants, markets and shopping malls in Bangkok and Chiangmai have been shutdown.

A Shan worker from a plastic company in Samutprakan province near Bangkok said all workers in the factory were told to stop working for a short spell, but the owner did not mention whether there would be pay cuts. “Workers there are daily wage earners.”

A similar incident took place at Chiangmai’s Night Bazaar, one of the well-known markets for foreigners. Many migrant workers from Burma work there. There are over 100 migrant workers, according to a woman worker.

“We are paid monthly, but we also don’t know whether our bosses will cut our salary,” she said.

Yesterday, all workers were told to return home. But on the way, many check points have been placed. So they are afraid to go home because most workers there don’t have official documents, she added.

“We had to find a way not only to escape the violence but also from the police,” she said. “Therefore we chose the highway. It took us a long time to get home. It usually takes about 10 or 15 minutes, but now it was almost an hour.”

Likewise, a radio station which always aired programmes for migrant workers from Monday to Friday between 21:00 and 22:00 was also closed, according to a Shan woman working there.

There are at least two million legal and illegal migrant workers in Thailand.