‘Don't have to hide’: Thai IDs, legal work give hope to Myanmar refugees

Myanmar refugees in Thailand are finding new hope and job security as the country begins issuing non-citizen identity cards and permits for legal employment. For many, this marks a significant departure from a life confined to refugee camps.

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I do not tire from the work. I can do it.

Ney La Jaw, 25, who now works on a farm in Nakhon Sawan province, earning around 3,000 baht per week, expressed his newfound stability. "I do not tire from the work. I can do it," he told AFP. Previously, he spent much of his life in the Mae La refugee camp, unable to work legally or leave.

Since June, approximately 4,600 Myanmar nationals living in camps have applied for permission to work legally between October 2025 and July 2026. This initiative, welcomed by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) as a "landmark step towards inclusion, protection and self-reliance," offers a path away from statelessness.

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After getting the card, I don’t have to be afraid anymore when travelling around.

Gay Lah, who fled Myanmar as a child and now works as a scaffolder, received her ID card in Prachinburi province. "After getting the card, I don’t have to be afraid anymore when travelling around," she said. She dreams of saving enough to buy a place and build a house for her family, bringing them out of the camp.

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I want to work hard, save money, buy a place, build a house and then bring my family out of the camp, that’s what I imagine.

Sit Nyein Aye, another refugee who lived most of his life in a border camp, sees the ID card and opportunity to work in construction as a chance to start fresh. "Since I have the opportunity, I’m going out to work," the 27-year-old stated. "I have my own future."

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Since I have the opportunity, I’m going out to work. I have my own future.