Thailand grants work rights to Myanmar refugees in landmark move, UN says

The United Nations has welcomed a new resolution by the Thai government granting work rights to long-term refugees from Myanmar, calling the decision a “turning point” that could transform lives and set a precedent for the region. More than 80,000 refugees, most of them forcibly displaced by conflict in Myanmar, have lived for decades in temporary shelters along the Thai-Myanmar border. Nearly half were born in the camps and have grown up dependent on humanitarian assistance. Tammi Sharpe, the representative in Thailand for the UN refugee agency UNHCR, praised the decision, saying it would not only allow refugees to become self-reliant but also benefit local economies and support Thailand’s long-term growth. “By unlocking the potential of these individuals, Thailand is not only upholding humanitarian principles but also making a strategic investment in its own future,” Sharpe said. According to Thai media outlet Khaosod English, the Thai cabinet approved the new guidelines during its August 26 meeting, with the goal of addressing national labour shortages while providing legal work opportunities for displaced people from Myanmar. The policy covers refugees in all nine temporary shelters located across four provinces: Mae Hong Son, Tak, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi. These individuals have already been registered by the Department of Provincial Administration and will now be eligible for one-year work permits under special authorisation. While the new policy covers a limited number of refugees for now, the UNHCR said it would continue to support the Thai government in expanding the program and integrating more displaced people into the workforce. The move comes as international aid budgets face steep cuts, further pressuring already vulnerable refugee communities. In response, the UNHCR is appealing for US$25.4 million in funding for its Thailand-based operations in 2025, which will also support refugees in Cambodia, Laos, and Viet Nam. Monday also marked eight years since the mass displacement of Rohingya from Myanmar’s Rakhine State. More than one million Rohingya have fled waves of violence and persecution, and the UN used the occasion to call for renewed international solidarity with the displaced population. UNHCR said Thailand’s decision could serve as a model for other countries in Southeast Asia to adopt more sustainable, rights-based policies toward refugees. In a related development, Thailand’s Ministry of Education has issued a directive requiring all district education offices under its jurisdiction to accept undocumented children into schools, regardless of their legal status. The directive, sent out on August 26, instructs schools to follow existing guidelines and regulations issued by the Office of the Basic Education Commission to ensure all children are enrolled and granted access to education. According to the official order, even children without legal documents or Thai citizenship should be provided with the right to basic education under the ministry’s policy. Thailand is home to an estimated 2.3 million registered migrant workers from Myanmar, with labour rights groups estimating another 2 million remain unregistered. Many of their children are living in Thailand without legal documentation and could directly benefit from this new directive. In cities like Mae Sot and Ranong, which host large migrant populations, community-based organisations have already established informal schools to provide education to migrant children. The ministry’s directive may now help integrate more of these children into the formal education system. This move is seen as an important step toward inclusion and protection for vulnerable children, particularly among Myanmar’s migrant and refugee communities in Thailand.

Thailand grants work rights to Myanmar refugees in landmark move, UN says

The move was welcomed as a possible model for other SE Asian countries to adopt more sustainable, rights-based policies toward refugees

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