United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi visited Thailand last week and commended Thailand’s continued efforts and progress in assisting and protecting displaced persons and in addressing statelessness.

Grandi met with Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he expressed appreciation for Thailand’s efforts in assisting and protecting different groups of forcibly displaced persons and in addressing statelessness. He also congratulated Thailand on the launch of the National Screening Mechanism (NSM) for persons fleeing persecution, and reaffirmed UNHCR’s readiness to support Thailand in its implementation of the NSM and in finding durable solutions for displaced persons. In addition, both sides exchanged views on the situation of refugees in the world and in the region, and discussed key issues in preparation of the 2nd Global Refugee Forum, to be held in Geneva in December this year.

“Thailand has always been dedicated to reducing and ending statelessness,” said United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. “Nevertheless, resources are crucial to translate political will into action. We will continue supporting Thailand to further stimulate changes to accelerate progress toward ending statelessness.”

The United Nations has praised Thailand’s concrete efforts to end statelessness during the past decade, with Grandi’s predecessor calling the Kingdom “courageous” for the steps it was taking in 2019, just before the advent of the pandemic. The Kingdom also committed to action at the High-Level Segment on Statelessness in 2019 and has promoted the #IBelong campaign, a public-service information campaign to raise awareness of the issue and acceptance among the public for tackling the problem.

In the Kingdom, stateless people are usually members of ethnic minority tribes who have traditionally roamed across borders and lack the documentation to prove they were born in Thailand. Thailand has also provided sanctuary and care for hundreds of thousands of people fleeing conflicts in neighboring nations during the past half century. More than 90,000 people displaced by fighting in Myanmar are living in shelters and camps along the Thai-Myanmar border.

During his visit, Grandi also visited Tham Hin Temporary Shelter in Ratchaburi Province, one of nine temporary shelters in which hosts Myanmar refugees, mostly from the Karen and Karenni ethnic groups. Thailand, in collaboration with United Nations High Commission for Refugees and partner countries including the United States, have been working on large-scale resettlement program to third countries for refugees.

Photo courtesy of https://www.mfa.go.th/