CIVICUS discusses Thailand’s decision to grant the right to work to Myanmar refugees living in border camps with Mic Chawaratt, Asia-Pacific Regional Manager at the International Detention Coalition, a civil society organisation that works to end immigration detention and support migrants and refugees around the world.

On 1 October, Thailand began allowing around 40,000 working-age Myanmar refugees from nine border camps to seek legal employment for the first time in four decades. The policy shift followed years of civil society advocacy but was ultimately catalysed by two simultaneous crises: devastating US funding cuts that eliminated essential humanitarian support for the camps and a border conflict with Cambodia that prompted hundreds of thousands of Cambodian migrant workers to flee home, leaving critical labour shortages across Thai industries.

What’s life like in the camps?

Myanmar refugees have been living in nine camps along the border for four decades, unable to return home due to ongoing conflict. The camps house 77,000 registered refugees, plus many more unregistered ones, bringing the total population to around 100,000. Major humanitarian organisations such as The Border Consortium and the International Rescue Committee have historically provided food and healthcare for the entire camp population.

However, the situation has deteriorated dramatically since US President Donald Trump announced USAID funding cuts. These organisations can no longer cover basic costs, with children and people with disabilities most affected. Many refugees have been forced to work illegally outside the camps to support their families, earning between 30 and 300 THB (approx. US$0.90 to US$9) per day.

What does the new right-to-work policy entail?

For the first time, Thailand has granted the legal right to work to 42,000 working-age refugees (aged 18 to 60) living in the camps. The application process requires those refugees already registered with the Ministry of Interior to obtain permission from the camp office. before applying with the Ministry of the Interior or District Office to leave the camp. They must then undergo a health check and apply for health insurance, which employees or employers may cover. The work permit costs around 100 THB (approx. US$3), which gets a waiver for the first year and is valid in 43 provinces except the northeast and southern regions. Refugees can work in any field apart from jobs specifically reserved for Thai nationals.

What led to this policy change after so many years?

Civil society laid the groundwork over two years of sustained collaboration. International organisations worked with parliamentarians, and two parliamentary committees published reports on Myanmar refugees that parliament adopted: the Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy and Country Reform and the Committee on Legal Justice and Human Rights, which addressed irregular migration. These committees received comments from a range of stakeholders before submitting policy recommendations to the Thai government office, well before the recent crises hit.

But the timing of implementation was accelerated by urgent circumstances. Following the recent Thai-Cambodian border conflict, 100,000 Cambodian migrant workers left Thailand, creating severe labour shortages, particularly in western border provinces. This prompted intense pressure on the government from the private sector and media to address the workforce gap. While only around a few thousand refugees are expected to move to eastern border provinces initially, not nearly enough to fill the shortage, the policy still represents a major relief for refugees struggling after the US funding cuts. More importantly, it marks a significant step forward for human rights, sustainability and coexistence in Thailand.

What needs to happen to make this policy work in practice?

Success depends on positive dialogue, public awareness and understanding the varied management systems across different camps. Each camp operates differently: some will allow employers to contact refugees directly, while others will coordinate job searches through ministries and local offices. Through collective leadership, humanitarian organisations can learn from one another, identify gaps and demonstrate measurable outcomes, as well as develop exit plans for funders so they know how much longer they need to provide help, strengthening support for refugee programmes across Thailand.

What other refugee rights are you advocating for?

Freedom of movement for accompaniment, such as family members, is also critical to ensure right to family life and family unity.

Education access is our most pressing priority. Currently, refugee students can only study in the camps, and even those who complete secondary education face enormous barriers to reaching university. We need to enable refugee children to attend Thai schools while supporting those who remain in camps to learn Thai. This would facilitate their integration into Thai society and open access to the skilled labour market.

We’re also working to secure legal status for children born in Thailand to parents from 20 unrecognised ethnic groups. These children should have the right to apply for Thai citizenship, particularly as they cannot return to Myanmar. Additionally, urban refugees from 45 countries who came to Thailand seeking asylum remain completely excluded from legal protections. A formal process must be established to integrate them into society.

Looking ahead, there’s also the question of the National Screening Mechanism, the government process that determines whether non-Thai individuals qualify as ‘protected persons’ who cannot safely return home. Discussions are ongoing about whether this mechanism should extend work rights to urban refugees as well. Civil society organisations, the Thai government and United Nations agencies must collaborate to refine these policies. This new initiative granting rights to work to camp refugees builds crucial momentum for broader refugee rights in Thailand.