"As is common in many refugee situations, Burmese refugees (with status of displaced person) in Thailand are required to live in remote camps along the border in order to receive protection and assistance. However, since the rations they receive do not contain fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and other non-food items, refugees are obliged to find alternative sources of income." (Inge Brees, Vocational training and access to work on the Thai-Burmese border)
Some refugees have the opportunity to work for NGOs. Others work in small shops, weaving or housework for a very small pay. In order to have enough food, many people raise animals, fish, (illegally) hunt and grow vegetables around their house. This is often not enough to sustain a family. Hence many refugees illegally leave camps for additional income, taking risks of arrest and deportation. Often this means the parents will leave (temporarily or permanently) and send remittances to the children.
Some refugees have the opportunity to work for NGOs. Others work in small shops, weaving or housework for a very small pay. In order to have enough food, many people raise animals, fish, (illegally) hunt and grow vegetables around their house. This is often not enough to sustain a family. Hence many refugees illegally leave camps for additional income, taking risks of arrest and deportation. Often this means the parents will leave (temporarily or permanently) and send remittances to the children.
This leads to dangers of travel to and from the camps. The official position of the Thai government is that the 'displaced' may not work, in practice it is tolerated and profitable for the host community. A large issue with recognizing the 'displaced' as refugees and signing the 1951 Geneva Convention (UNHCR) could mean jeopardizing sensitive relations with Burma. Besides this, Thailand has hosted refugee inflows from neighboring countries for decades and fears restrictions on their own security with international regulations. The government also fears legalization might increase the pull factor of camps.
This is obviously already happening. A variety of sources estimate these numbers at around 2 million. Containment is quite a loose concept in the camps as well. Efforts that have been made in resettlement have mainly caused a stable camp population as the roughly 50.000 that have been resettled in the US, Australia and Europe have been replaced by new refugees eager to take the opportunity of resettlement.
It appears that local integration has the largest potential and the EU is pressing the RTG to open camps.
EU seeks more flexible camps article in the Bangkok Post on November 30
Towards Sustainable Livelihoods by Inge Brees (conducting a PhD research on livelihoods of both camp and self-settled Burmese refugees in Thailand)
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