Rights to Work for Camp Migrants
July 8 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
About
The Mahidol Migration Centre – Joint Research Unit (MMC-JRU) and SEA Junction have continued the “SEA Mobilities” series, which was launched in February 2022. The series provides a platform for seminars and panel discussions on contemporary mobility issues in Southeast Asia, bringing together experts, academics, practitioners, NGO representatives, migrants, and stakeholders working in related fields. SEA Mobilities is funded by the Mahidol University International Relations Division.
The upcoming Wednesday SEA Mobilities event, “Rights to Work for Camp Migrants,” will take place on 8 July 2026, from 17:30–18:30 (Bangkok time). The session explores the challenges and complexities surrounding economic rights for refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced persons living in and surrounding the camps, focusing on the intersection between refugee protection, labour rights, and migration governance.
The discussion will feature Sirada Khemanitthathai (Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development: RCSD, Chiang Mai University) and Rebecca Napier-Moore (International Labour Organization: ILO) as speakers. Sudarat Musikawong (Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR, Mahidol University) serves as moderator.
Background
Thailand plays an important role in regional migration governance as a destination, transit, and host country for displaced populations, including refugees and asylum seekers. Along the Thailand–Myanmar border, Thailand currently hosts nine temporary shelters that have accommodated displaced communities for several decades. Amid discussions on the future of these shelters, recent developments highlight the need for more sustainable approaches to refugee protection, self-reliance, and inclusion. A key policy development in refugee protection is the Cabinet Resolution passed in August 2025, which introduced measures allowing refugees and displaced persons in temporary shelters to access legal employment opportunities outside the camps. This reflects a governmental shift toward supporting refugees’ self-reliance and reducing prolonged dependence on humanitarian assistance. The situation also raises questions about long-term integration and access to fundamental rights.
As of 2025, 104,282 registered refugees were eligible for food assistance across nine temporary shelters along the Thailand–Myanmar border, while 98,895 refugees received assistance during the most recent reporting period (The Border Consortium-TBC, 2025). Within this context, durable solutions toward integration and the right to work have become central issues in refugee protection. Access to decent work is also essential for self-reliance and social inclusion, reflecting international labour principles promoted by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
This seminar brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss a more inclusive, sustainable, and rights-based approach to migration governance and refugee integration in Southeast Asia. Join online via Zoom on 8th July 2026 from 5.30 – 6.30 pm (BKK Time).
Speakers:
Rebecca Napier-Moore is a Technical Officer at the International Labour Organization (ILO), working on migrant workers’ rights, labour migration, and migrant protection. Her work focuses on migration governance, fair migration policies, and strengthening protections for migrant workers, with attention to gender dimensions and vulnerabilities within migration processes.
Sirada Khemanitthathai is the Research Chair on Forced Displacement in Southeast Asia at the Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD), Chiang Mai University (CMU). Her research focuses on Myanmar politics, Thai–Myanmar cross-border relations, transnationalism, international migration, migration diplomacy, and human rights, providing key insights into refugee issues and displacement in Southeast Asia.
Moderator:
Sudarat Musikawong is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR), Mahidol University and PI for Mahidol Migration Center-Joint Research Unit. Her research interests include migration, social theory, and cultural studies, with a focus on migrant workers, labour rights, migration, and social inequalities in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Please contact us at sudarat.mus@mahidol.edu for information.
Organizers
Mahidol Migration Center, Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR), Mahidol University
IPSR was established in 1971 and has become one of Asia’s premier population research and training hubs. The Institute conducts research and provides training in population, sexual and reproductive health and development with a focus on Thailand and throughout Asia, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life for all. To further strengthen and re-focus these efforts, the Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR) launched Mahidol Migration Center (MMC) in 2010. Mahidol Migration Center (MMC) played a key role in the region to disseminate migration-related information more effectively. Its purposes are to gather and synthesize the large amount of migration data available; to collaborate with partners and organizations to form internal and international networks for theory, practice, and policy formulation; to act as a platform for advocacy and lasting change in migrant healthcare; and to assist in the prioritization of resources to improve both internal and international migrants’ physical and mental well-being.
SEA Junction
SEA Junction, established under the Thai non-profit organization Foundation for Southeast Asia Studies (ForSEA), aims to foster understanding and appreciation of Southeast Asia in all its socio-cultural dimensions, from arts and lifestyles to economy and development. Conveniently located at Room 408 of the Bangkok Arts and Culture Center or BACC (across MBK, BTS National Stadium), SEA Junction facilitates public access to knowledge resources and exchanges among students, practitioners and Southeast Asia lovers. For more information, see https://seajunction.org/ and join the Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/1693058870976440/ and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @seajunction.
