Corruption is just the way we do things...

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Corruption is just the way we do things…Mn lived as an illegal in Bangkok for nine of the 11 years he has been in Thailand. During that time he had to back into Burma twice. Both times fearing he would never be able to leave again. Mn worked for the government in Burma, and thus is a person the Burmese government doesn’t want to be tromping around much outside its borders.

He assures me that he was quite safe as an illegal in Bangkok and that despite not being able to roam freely, having to hide during the day and take only low paying Three D (dirty, demeaning and dangerous) work, as long as he had a B/500 bill pinned to the inside of his trousers to bribe the border officers for his freedom once they caught him and held him in jails at the border; this was a better life than in Burma. He put it to me this way, “With 500 baht at the border, you may come back alive.” Those who don’t have the money, are either marched across the border or held in rotting jails for months of years. His friend is one of them in jail.

Mn says he was only caught twice, once held in jail for only three days and literally dumped out of the cell when a new load of illegals (who may have been able to raise the bribery fee) came in. He was left on the side of the road with 17 others at Mae Sot. His life was is Bangkok and it took him a week of hiding and traveling at night to return to it.

Mn was careful as he described this process to me, clearly concerned about what impression or reaction I would take to the idea of Thai officials operating a sophisticated system of immigration control based on bribes. I called him on it politely, and told him I knew that sometimes the ways things actually work are very different from how they should work. We both sat quiet for a while after that.

Mn has legal papers now, he is here on a language study visa that is an 18 month term. His papers expire in March. I asked him what his plan was after that…he told me he wasn’t sure. Realistically, he has extremely limited options. If he remains as an illegal, the work he does now will have to stop. His job includes traveling to many “hidden” Burmese camps and without papers he cannot hold a liscense. It is very dangerous, and stupid if he were to be that visible as an illegal. He would be arrested quickly. His government now knows he is here, and the luxury of the B/500 bill in his trousers won’t help him this time. He will be deported and because of his knowledge, may not come back. I asked him if he was scared. He said it’s like Bantchi, or credit for the souls. In his life, he has helped many people and worked for his own people to better their situations…most of it at a danger to himself. He figures that maybe his “soul credit” is used up now.

cont...

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Photos

...part of Mn
...the intensity of this little girl is harsh. she is determined not to let one cracker drop...it is her only food besides breakfast today.

...more of Mn's work...
...this young man works and lives with his brother is a hut that is crumbling. He is blitzed on hommade alcohol...something he turns to day and night.