Why are there Burmese refugees in Thailand?

Following national elections in Burma in November 2010, new clashes between armed ethnically affiliated groups and the Burmese army erupted along the Thai-Burma border, leading to the rapid arrival of a further 16,000-18,000 refugees from Burma.

Why does Thailand have so many refugees?

For the past few decades, Thailand has been a major destination country for asylum seekers and refugees from Myanmar. Since the 1940’s, ongoing violent conflicts between Karen separatists and the Burmese army have forced many families to move. Around 400,000 Karen people are homeless.

Why are there so many Burmese in Thailand?

Burmese migrants are sold into slave labor, physically abused, and left hungry. Those living in rural poverty in Myanmar are attracted to Thailand because of its relative prosperity. Traffickers lure Burmese families with false promises of work and good wages.

Why are there so many refugees from Myanmar?

In August 2017, armed attacks, massive scale violence, and serious human rights violations forced thousands of Rohingya to flee their homes in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The United Nations has described the Rohingya as “the most persecuted minority in the world.” …

How many Burmese refugees are in Thailand?

There are also roughly 150,000 Burmese refugees living at 9 official camps on the Thai-Burmese border. The largest such camp is Mae La refugee camp. In 2014, the Thai government announced plans to repatriate Burmese refugees who have been living in border camps for the past 2 decades.

How many Burmese refugees are there in Thailand?

Nearly 130,000 people reside as refugees in Thailand, of whom approximately 90 percent are from the bordering country of Myanmar, also known as Burma. More than 80 percent of Burmese refugees in Thailand are ethnic Karen.

How many refugee camps were there in Thailand?

nine
Thailand has hosted refugees from Burma/Myanmar for more than three decades. The current nine main camps that are home to around 86,000 people are a result of consolidations over the years of many smaller settlements along the 2,400-kilometre border line.

Why do people immigrate from Burma?

Many people have left because of the conflict between the Myanmar army and ethnic armed groups. This started after Burma became independent in 1948. About 32\% of its population are from ethnic minorities. At the end of 2020, an estimated 505,000 have been forced to move due to conflict and violence.

Where is Burma in relation to Thailand?

Myanmar is located in South East Asia bordering the People’s Republic of China on the North and North East, Laos on the East, Thailand on the South East, Bangladesh on the West and India on the North West. It is also strategically located between South Asia and South East Asia.

Are Burmese and Thai similar?

Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia share similar religious traditions (Theravada Buddhism + indigenous animistic practices) and have deeply intertwined histories, especially during pre-colonial times.

Who are the Burmese refugees?

Almost 1.5 million refugees have fled Burma since the 1962 military coup-d’etat. The vast majority of them belong to two large and heterogeneous ethnic groups called the Karen and Chin. Most refugees escaped to Thailand where camp conditions have caused high disease and fatality rates.

Who are Burmese refugees?