Thailand Grants Legal Work Rights to Myanmar Refugees in Landmark Policy Shift
For the first time, long-term refugees like Tun Min Lat can seek formal employment, enabling more than eighty thousand to apply for work permits and contribute to the Thai economy.
For the first time in nearly two decades, 42-year-old Tun Min Lat has been able to work legally in Thailand after years of living in a refugee camp along the Thai-Myanmar border.
The opportunity, hailed by the United Nations as a landmark step, comes as part of a policy shift that allows more than eighty thousand Myanmar refugees to apply for formal work permits and seek jobs across the country.
Thailand’s cabinet approved the measures in late August against the backdrop of labour shortages and humanitarian concerns affecting the region.
The changes mark a significant departure from past immigration policy, under which refugees who fled fighting in Myanmar were permitted to reside in temporary camps but barred from legally entering the workforce.
Under the new framework, refugees who meet eligibility criteria can apply for permission to leave controlled camp areas and obtain work permits valid for up to one year, facilitating employment in sectors such as agriculture, construction and services.
Tun Min Lat and his wife are among the first to benefit from the policy, working at a longan orchard in eastern Thailand, while their eldest daughter has secured factory work in another province.
Their younger children remain in the camp under the care of neighbours.
“Now I feel like I can see a future,” Tun told reporters as he picked fruit under the November sun, describing the work opportunity as a hopeful turn after years dependent on aid.
The policy shift also responds to a sudden labour gap in Thailand’s workforce following border clashes with Cambodia in July, which prompted the departure of hundreds of thousands of Cambodian workers who previously filled many low- and mid-skill roles.
With an ageing population and persistent demand for agricultural and industrial labour, Thai authorities see integrating refugees into the formal economy as both a humanitarian and pragmatic strategy.
Refugee support organisations have welcomed the change, emphasising that legal employment can reduce dependency on international aid, provide dignity and self-reliance, and strengthen local communities.
At the same time, human rights observers call for robust safeguards to ensure that refugees benefit fully from the new rights without facing exploitation or discrimination.
The implementation of the work permit programme will be closely watched as it unfolds, with early results considered indicative of Thailand’s capacity to balance economic needs with protections for some of the most vulnerable residents on its soil.
The opportunity, hailed by the United Nations as a landmark step, comes as part of a policy shift that allows more than eighty thousand Myanmar refugees to apply for formal work permits and seek jobs across the country.
Thailand’s cabinet approved the measures in late August against the backdrop of labour shortages and humanitarian concerns affecting the region.
The changes mark a significant departure from past immigration policy, under which refugees who fled fighting in Myanmar were permitted to reside in temporary camps but barred from legally entering the workforce.
Under the new framework, refugees who meet eligibility criteria can apply for permission to leave controlled camp areas and obtain work permits valid for up to one year, facilitating employment in sectors such as agriculture, construction and services.
Tun Min Lat and his wife are among the first to benefit from the policy, working at a longan orchard in eastern Thailand, while their eldest daughter has secured factory work in another province.
Their younger children remain in the camp under the care of neighbours.
“Now I feel like I can see a future,” Tun told reporters as he picked fruit under the November sun, describing the work opportunity as a hopeful turn after years dependent on aid.
The policy shift also responds to a sudden labour gap in Thailand’s workforce following border clashes with Cambodia in July, which prompted the departure of hundreds of thousands of Cambodian workers who previously filled many low- and mid-skill roles.
With an ageing population and persistent demand for agricultural and industrial labour, Thai authorities see integrating refugees into the formal economy as both a humanitarian and pragmatic strategy.
Refugee support organisations have welcomed the change, emphasising that legal employment can reduce dependency on international aid, provide dignity and self-reliance, and strengthen local communities.
At the same time, human rights observers call for robust safeguards to ensure that refugees benefit fully from the new rights without facing exploitation or discrimination.
The implementation of the work permit programme will be closely watched as it unfolds, with early results considered indicative of Thailand’s capacity to balance economic needs with protections for some of the most vulnerable residents on its soil.
