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Thailand Grants Myanmar Refugees Legal Right to Work

This Week

Thailand grants long-term Myanmar refugees living in camps along the border the legal right to work, addressing both humanitarian concerns and the country’s labor shortage.

The Thai Cabinet approved measures on 26 August allowing refugees in temporary shelters along the Thai-Myanmar border to seek formal employment, many for the first time in their lives. 

Jirayut Huangsub, spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister, said the initiative would allow refugees to work legally in Thailand, helping them support their families while contributing to the economy. 

He added that the move reflected Thailand’s commitment to humanitarian values and was a strategic investment in the country’s future, with refugees expected to boost local consumption, create jobs, and strengthen GDP growth and economic resilience, as reported by the Bangkok Post,

So far, Thailand hosts over 100,000 Myanmar refugees across nine temporary shelters in Mae Hong Son, Tak, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi provinces. Many fled military abuses since the 1980s, according to Human Rights Watch.

The new work permits will only be available to about 80,000 refugees registered with the Thai government. Of this population, around 42,601 are of working age and eligible to apply. They must request authorization to leave the camps and can obtain permits valid for up to one year.

The Cabinet noted that allowing refugees to work would ease the state’s burden, support economic growth, safeguard human rights, and address labor shortages. 

The decision comes at a critical time for Thailand’s labor market, which is affected by an aging population and the departure of at least 100,000 Cambodian migrant workers following border clashes on 24 July.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees welcomed the policy, recognizing the prolonged displacement of some 81,000 long-staying Myanmar refugees along the border. 

Many have relied entirely on humanitarian aid for decades, with nearly half born in the shelters.

The statement read that Tammi Sharpe, UNHCR Representative in Thailand, said that for too long, protracted exile had felt like an unending wait, but today marked a turning point, and with this policy shift, Thailand was transforming refugee hosting into an engine of growth, for refugees, host communities, and the nation as a whole.

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