CNI News
24 May 2024
The new Thai government should allow refugees staying in the refugee camps on the Thai side near the Myanmar-Thailand border to work in Thailand or send the refugees to third countries, those who help in the affairs of migrant workers, told CNI News.
The Thai authorities are currently trying to find an answer regarding refugee camps near its border area with Myanmar and should conduct surveys of refugees to allow them to work in Thailand or to send them to third countries, Ko Naing Naing Aung, director of the Arakan Workers Organization, told CNI News.
"It would be better for refugees if they were allowed to go to third countries or most of them demand to enjoy job opportunities. Those who are staying in the refugee camps are undocumented. If they are allowed to work, how should they be permitted? Are refugee camps going to issue a certain card such as ones whose validity is ten years long, CI or pink cards. Will some employers accept those who come from refugee camps? The authorities should lay down two policies. Depending on the two policies, which one will refugees choose? Whether the authorities conduct surveys or data collection, an exact answer will come out." he said.
A place that supplies water in the Mae La Refugee Camp
International NGOs are providing the refugee camps in Thailand with food and basic needs and Thailand doesn't support anything to the camps except for providing space for camps.
However, the Thai government is getting revenue because there are refugee camps in Thailand reportedly.
To draw refugees from the Mae La Refugee Camp that has already existed for 40 years into the labor resource system or to send them to third countries, an answer should come out, which Rangsiman Rome, chairman of the National Security Commission of the Thai Border Affairs said, reported in the Thai news media.
As most of the refugee camps on the Thai side have already existed for one decade or so, in spite of speaking out to find a solution, it wouldn't easy to put it into practice, U Min Oo, In charge of labor affairs from the Foundation for Education and Development (FED), told CNI News.
"Immigration to a third country depends on the Thai government. Another thing is the acceptable strength of the recipient countries. If a person was recognized as a refugee, he would be allowed to choose a third country that he wanted and at the same time, a recipient country for example if the US has decided to receive 1,000 refugees only, the 1,000 just can go to the country. The rest will have to wait." he said.
While the Mae La Refugee Camp in Thailand was seen in July, 2014
Myanmar refugees won't go back to their native country because of the current instabilities in Myanmar and some family members of refugees have already arrived in a third country reportedly. Those who are staying in the refugee camps tend to work the plantations and workplaces of the Thai locals in the nearby villages with mutual understanding.
There are Myanmar refugee camps on the Thai side along the Thai-Myanmar border, including Mae La, Umpiem, Nupo, Mae La Oon, Mae Ra Ma Luang, Tham Hin, Bang Don Yan, No.1 and No.2 Karenni Refugee Camps and over 90,000 people are taking refuge in these camps, according to the Karen Refugee Committee.
Among the nine refugee camps, Mae La is the biggest and about 40,000 refugees are taking refuge there reportedly.
