Bangkok: The Thai government has reversed a yearslong ban to allow Myanmar refugees to work. Aid agencies have welcomed the move, which comes amid US aid cuts and a potential shortage of cheap labor in Thailand.
According to Deutsche Welle, the Thai government recently lifted a decades-long ban on working rights for long-term refugees from Myanmar who live in Thailand in a string of nine camps just near the border between the two countries. Some have been there since the 1980s. This policy shift is seen as a response to the United States under President Donald Trump cutting off humanitarian aid programs around the world. Until this year, the US was the largest funder of food aid for the displaced people in the Thai camps.
The requested additional aid never materialized, prompting the Thai government to announce a resolution last week. In a statement, the government said, "the cabinet has made approval to grant special permission for this group of refugees to stay and work in the country to support themselves and their families."
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) welcomed the move, noting that although the resolution only applied to a limited number of refugees, it could set a "regional benchmark" for a "rights-based refugee solution." The UNHCR plans to advocate for expanding the resolution, which currently applies to around 80,000 long-term refugees from Myanmar, to all refugees.
For years, aid and advocacy groups have urged the Thai government to give refugees working rights, arguing that this would allow them more self-sufficiency and economic participation. The Thai camps, where refugees from Myanmar live, started appearing along the border in the 1980s. Most homes are still built from bamboo, wood, and thatch, with few having electricity or running water.
UNHCR representative for Thailand, Tammi Sharpe, called the policy shift a "turning point" that would both allow the refugees to support themselves and stimulate the local economy. TBC executive director, Leon de Riedmatten, praised the government's move, stating it was a "very positive decision." He noted that TBC struggled to find other donors to replace the Americans, leaving the government to provide food assistance or find alternatives.
A nutrition survey by TBC earlier this year showed rising chronic malnutrition rates among children in the camps since 2022. Plans are underway to provide healthcare for the refugees. Darren Hertz, country director for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), emphasized the importance of health insurance to ensure sustained good health for the population. The IRC, affected by US aid cuts, is transitioning its operations to local state-run hospitals.
De Riedmatten noted that the decision may also have been influenced by a decline in Thailand's migrant labor force. According to Thailand's Ministry of Labor, about 900,000 Cambodian migrant workers returned home after a border dispute. While some estimates suggest a lower figure, it still represents a significant portion of the 3.1 million registered migrants in Thailand as of 2024.
Ruttiya Bhula-or, a labor economist at Thailand's Chulalongkorn University, said the refugees could help fill some of the labor shortages left by the Cambodians in "3D jobs" (dirty, difficult, or dangerous). However, she noted that refugees might lack the skills for certain jobs, such as fishing and construction, previously held by Cambodians. Refugees are more likely to fill farm and entry-level service jobs.
The planned work permits could help refugees working illegally outside the camps to negotiate for higher wages and report abusive employers. Refugees like Eh Khu Moo, who fled Myanmar in 2005, expressed hope for better job opportunities. Camp official Tun noted that many refugees, having spent most of their lives in camps, now see a new lifeline in the ability to work legally outside.