He says U.S. limits on Thai imports would have a huge impact because it is their largest single export market.
"It would impact the seller and then the entire country's economy. Some factories may have to close. It would have a great impact," he said.
Unfair advantage
Activists say government efforts have stamped out blatant labor abuses at many large factories, but smaller ones still use undocumented children because they are cheap and not likely to go to authorities.
The Labor Rights Promotion Network says less than a third of Samutsakhon's 8,000 children of migrants go to school.
Director Sompong Srakaew says without government sponsored schools like this the problem would be worse.
"[Migrant] children who accompany their parents, if they are not supported to be able to go to school, they cannot develop themselves. They will have no life skills and may cause social problems in the future. Thailand is also now under close watch about child labor."
Vulnerable children, migrants
Head of Wat Sri Suttharam School Pisarn Nuntasae says about a quarter of the school's 300 migrant students are illegal and most who enroll end up dropping out to go to work.
He says about 20 percent end up returning to their home countries to try to become documented through a nationality verification process, but most do not return.
"Teachers followed up but were informed that they went back to their home [country] or other provinces. The students did not come back into the school system again. Only 5 perecent came back after nationality verification," he said.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25