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15 July 2025
Subject: Request for an Opportunity for Refugees in Temporary Shelters to Emerge as a Quality Workforce
in Thai Society
To: The Chairpersons and Members of the
Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy and National Reform
Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights
Committee on Labour
Committee on Children, Youth, Women, Elderly, Persons with Disabilities, Ethnic Groups, and
Gender Diversity
Committee on Foreign Affairs
House of Representatives
Since 1984 — a span of 41 years — Thailand has served as a second home, or the only home, for hundreds of thousands of people fleeing armed conflict and their families from Myanmar. While over a hundred thousand of them have resettled in third countries, the unending violence in the ethnic states along the Thailand-Myanmar border over four decades has led to continued displacement. 107,502 refugees — most of them Karen and Karenni — remain in nine temporary shelters in Mae Hong Son, Tak, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi provinces (TBC, June 2025). A total of 90,759 individuals have been registered with the Ministry of Interior and/or UNHCR.
We, as border-based civil society organizations and allied networks, are deeply appreciative of the
successive Thai governments that have facilitated refugees’ access to food, shelter, education, and health
services provided by various international and Thai non-governmental organizations. However, the policy
allowing refugees to survive through dependence, without legal permission to work for their livelihood, may have been suitable only for temporary emergency situations — not for the prolonged displacement that has persisted. In fact, each temporary shelter has existed for nearly 30 to over 40 years, where generations have been born, grown up, and started families within the barbed-wire fences — some now reaching the third generation.
We all understand that this situation cannot be prolonged. International donors must reallocate limited
resources to respond to other urgent global crises. Meanwhile, refugees — as human beings — possess the natural drive and potential for self-reliance. Preventing them from becoming a productive human resource for Thailand and the world has led to economic, environmental, and social tensions in border areas. Especially concerning are the feelings of despair among children and youth who cannot see how education will lead to opportunities or a future in which they can meaningfully participate in society.
At least 40% of the refugees were born in Thailand or have lived here since early childhood. They have no
memories of life in any other country. For many, Thailand is their only true home. Considering that Thailand has now entered a completed aged society, opening opportunities for refugees—who regard Thailand as their second or only home and already have registered identities and household numbers in the Ministry of Interior’s database—to emerge as human resources for society is a solution to both the humanitarian crisis and the demographic transition. In reality, many refugees have already utilized their potential as an important labor force for local communities. However, working outside the shelters exposes both the workers and their employers to legal risks, as such actions are currently prohibited and punishable by law.
We, border-based civil society organizations and allied networks, believe that when people have the capacity and will to take responsibility for themselves and society, a regulated transition from dependency to selfreliance is imperative. Over the years, we have studied the issues and consistently communicated with Thai society to present this approach. Most recently, the urgency of this matter has intensified following announcements from humanitarian organizations stating that health services in 7 shelters and food aid in all shelters will cease aler 31 July 2025. Therefore, we respecmully request your consideration and support in moving forward with the following proposals:
- To alleviate the humanitarian crisis, the Thai government should urgently approve a pilot program to
regulate the employment of refugees within the border areas. Those who hold identity documents and household registration records issued by the Ministry of Interior should be allowed to engage in daily commuting work within the subdistricts where the shelters are located and nearby areas without going through complex procedures, while consultations and the development of a systematic management
framework covering broader timeframes and geographic areas must be expedited in parallel. - To ensure the success of the initiative, the management model should be developed through
consultations among government authorities, employers, local administrative organizations,
humanitarian agencies, and refugee-led civil society actors in each locality, recognizing that local
contexts and labor demands may vary. Regular short-term evaluations during the initial phase will be
essential for improving the implementation model and may serve as a basis for future geographic expansion. - To ensure that refugees can genuinely access opportunities to contribute as part of the labor force, the employment system must be as streamlined as possible, with no fees imposed for the issuance of identity documents and work permits. This applies to individuals who are already registered in the
Ministry of Interior’s database and whose economic status does not allow them to bear the costs associated with exercising the right to work. - To enhance the quality of human resources, Thai language proficiency must be recognized as a critical occupational skill and developed as an urgent priority. The government should promote public-private collaboration in providing Thai language education in all temporary shelters, through intensive courses for potential workers, non-formal education programs (NFE), and integration into all existing educational curricula within the shelters.
- To strengthen national security and enhance the effectiveness of administrative planning, the Thai
government should collaborate with UNHCR to conduct a survey, screening, verification and registration process for all refugees in the temporary shelters who are not yet included in the system, so that they no longer remain as unregistered residents.
Individuals can become valuable human resources to society when given opportunities. Refugees are
human beings who can offer solutions to challenges, drive Thailand’s economy, and represent a vital
potential for the country. Accordingly, we are willing to contribute information and support initiatives that enable displaced persons in temporary shelters to become quality members of Thailand’s labor force.
With faith in human dignity,
Karen Refugee Committee (KRC)
Karen Women’s Organization (KWO)
Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN)
Karen Student Network Group (KSNG)
Karenni Refugee Committee (KnRC)
Karenni National Women’s Organization (KnWO)
Friends Without Borders FoundaQon (FWB)
Bridging Voices Project
Council of Indigenous Peoples in Thailand (CIPT)
Human Rights and Development Foundation (HRDF)
Migrant Working Group (MWG)
