CHANTHABURI, Thailand — Workers huddle on strips of blue tarp beneath low-hanging trees, sheltering from the relentless midday sun. They pluck longan, a lychee-like fruit, off chopped tree branches, then fill white crates stacked along the fruit farm’s dirt track. At the end of the day, the weight of those crates will determine how much they earn.
The workers are Burmese refugees — men and women who, until recently, were barred from formal employment in Thailand. This fruit farm, five hours southeast of Bangkok in Chanthaburi province, is among the first in the country legally permitted to hire them.
Thailand has for decades refused to recognize refugees’ right to work, arguing that formal employment would encourage permanent settlement. The country is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and does not recognize refugees under domestic law, limiting their access to legal protection and work. More than 80,000 Burmese refugees, many of whom fled military violence in the 1980s and 1990s in what is now called Myanmar, have instead been confined to nine camps strung along the Thai-Myanmar border.
About the author
Rebecca L. Root
Rebecca L. Root is a freelance reporter for Devex based in Bangkok. Previously senior associate & reporter, she produced news stories, video, and podcasts as well as partnership content. She has a background in finance, travel, and global development journalism and has written for a variety of publications while living and working in Bangkok, New York, London, and Barcelona.
