Thailand’s dilemma: migrants, conflict and regional relations*

Link to the program recording here.

Of all regional countries, Thailand has been at the frontline of refugee and migrant flows from surrounding countries. This is particularly so since the February 2021 coup in Myanmar, which has displaced nearly 4 million people amid the military regime’s campaign to eradicate all resistance.

On International Migrants Day, it is worth noting that 5.2 million migrants are estimated to be living and working in Thailand as of July 2024, and at least 1.8 million of them are in irregular situations, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The unofficial number is far higher, according to rights groups. High costs and bureaucratic red-tape discourage many from entering to work in Thailand through legal routes. This created a situation where certain nationalist groups and factions have taken strong stances against migrant communities both in social media and in real life.

In late September, the Thai government announced it will allow undocumented workers from four countries, including Myanmar, to make new registrations and accompany children to stay legally in Thailand. Other steps have been proposed -- or being taken -- to help the country better cope with the stream of new and undocumented arrivals.

What is the way forward?

Join our team of experts for this afternoon session on International Migrants Day to learn more about the situation and the latest moves by Thailand to tackle the many issues and policy dilemmas in coping with steadily rising migrant inflows.

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Speakers include:

Michiko Ito, deputy head of operations Asia, International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Mic Chawaratt, Southeast Asia programme manager, International Detention Coalition (IDC) and co-founder, Thailand Migration Reform Consortium (TMR).

Thet Swe Win, representative of Myanmar migrant community.

Naruemon Thabchumpon, cross-border migration expert and assistant professor in politics and head of Center for Excellence on Migration and Development at the Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University.

Moderator: Gwen Robinson, past president, FCCT.