Thailand

22 May 2024

By May 2024, around 20,000 Myanmar refugees were living in remote rural communities of Thailand along the Thai-Myanmar border, arriving after the 2021 military coup in Myanmar. They are not allowed access to the existing camps comprising the around 95,000 Myanmar refugees who fled pre-coup conflicts in Myanmar. Majority of the post-coup refugees do not have documentation, such as passports, nor the refugee status that would allow them to stay in Thailand. The lack of documentation has resulted in significant risk of arrest, deportation, and refoulement and restricted their access to basic services, employment, and legal protection. The refugees cannot afford sufficient food given a lack of livelihood opportunities, leading to some infants being malnourished. Significant healthcare barriers in Thailand for these refugees include financial challenges, lack of legal documentation, and long travel distances to healthcare facilities. (TBC 24/05/2024; TBC 31/03/2024)

17 April 2023

An escalation of conflict in Myanmar between the ethnic armed organisation Karen National Liberation Army and its allies, on one side, and the Myanmar military, on the other, has led around 9,200 people to flee from Shwe Kokko, a town in Myawaddy township in Kayin state, to Thailand since 5 April. Conflict has been escalating between these groups since late March 2023. Mae Sot and Mae Ramat in Tak province have provided shelter for these refugees in 13 Temporary Safety Areas (TSAs). As at 10 April, around 960 refugees remained in three TSAs, with the rest returning to Myanmar. They have been provided with food, water, medical care, shelter, and core relief items. (UNHCR 11/04/2023, BBC 07/04/2023, The Irrawaddy 07/04/2023)

11 April 2023

Since 5 April, around 9,200 people fled from Shwe Kokko, a town in Myawaddy township in Kayin state, to Thailand given the escalation of conflict between the ethnic armed organisation Karen National Liberation Army, along with its allies, and the Myanmar military since late March. These refugees were provided shelter in 13 Temporary Safety Areas (TSAs) in Mae Sot and Mae Ramat in Tak province. As at 10 April, around 960 refugees remained in three TSAs with the rest returning to Myanmar. They were provided with food, water, medical care, shelter, and core relief items.

([UNHCR 11/04/2023](https://reliefweb.int/map/myanmar/myanmar-emergency-overview-map-number-people-displaced-feb-2021-and-remain-displaced-10-apr-2023, Mizzima 11/04/2023, BBC 08/04/2023, ECHO 07/04/2023, The Irrawaddy 07/04/2023)

06 April 2023

As at 10 April 2023, the number of post-coup IDPs in Kayin state, southeastern Myanmar, was around 116,000. Movement restrictions, conflict, and insecurity have impeded the work of humanitarian responders and constrained the delivery of humanitarian aid, including NFIs and shelter assistance, to affected and displaced people in multiple states and regions, including Kayin state.

Since 5 April, around 9,200 people fled from Shwe Kokko, a town in Myawaddy township in Kayin state, to Thailand given the escalation of conflict between the ethnic armed organisation Karen National Liberation Army, along with its allies, and the Myanmar military since late March. These refugees were provided shelter in 13 Temporary Safety Areas (TSAs) in Mae Sot and Mae Ramat in Tak province. As at 10 April, around 960 refugees remained in three TSAs with the rest returning to Myanmar. They were provided with food, water, medical care, shelter, and core relief items.

(UNHCR 17/04/2023, UNHCR 11/04/2023, OCHA 06/04/2023, Mizzima 11/04/2023, BBC 08/04/2023, ECHO 07/04/2023, The Irrawaddy 07/04/2023)