The Hidden Hunger of Refugees Along the Thailand–Myanmar Border

More than 100,000 refugees from Myanmar are living in a state of invisibility along the Thailand–Myanmar border. They are stateless, have no legal right to work, no access to formal education for their children, and no guarantee of daily food. Many of them have fled ethnic and religious persecution yet remain unrecognized by any government. As a result, they are denied even the most basic human rights—such as the right to food.

This is not a distant humanitarian crisis. It is a “silent emergency” unfolding in one of the most visited countries in Asia: Thailand.

A Crisis of Identity, A Crisis of Survival

According to the latest data from UNHCR (May 2025), there are 1.485 million refugees from Myanmar worldwide. In Thailand, approximately 82,400 refugees currently reside in temporary shelters along the Thailand–Myanmar border—most of whom arrived before February 2021. However, tens of thousands remain outside the system, undocumented and unprotected. Many are Karen or Karenni, who have faced discrimination based on their ethnicity and Christian faith. These stateless families are not only battling hunger, but also struggling to exist in a world where they are rendered invisible.

(Source: UNHCR Operational Data Portal: Myanmar Situation, 2025)

Many children born in refugee areas do not even have a birth certificate. This means they are stateless from birth with no access to schooling, healthcare, or legal employment. Such a lack of opportunity leads to generational poverty, which continues to deepen.

“We don’t want much... just food to eat”

When a 12-year-old girl saw her younger brother crying from hunger, she folded her hands in prayer—not for toys, not for schoolbooks, but simply for “one meal.” That evening, her family received an emergency food box from Avoda Foundation. Inside were herbal porridge and sun-dried bananas—simple items that, for this stateless family, felt like “a priceless gift.”

Stories like hers are not unusual. They are a daily reality. These families are not eligible for government food aid. Parents must take unstable day labor such as crop picking, carrying bricks, or construction—often earning far below the minimum wage. When work is unavailable or illness strikes, they may go entire days without food, just to survive.

Nutrition Is a Human Right

Malnutrition is widespread among refugee children along the Thailand–Myanmar border. The lack of protein and essential vitamins results in stunted growth, weak immune systems, and delayed brain development. Pregnant women often give birth to underweight babies or suffer from anemia.

Here, food insecurity is not just about calories—it’s about long-term community well-being.