After Free of refugees fled Myanmar to Thailand because of the latest outbreak of violence, the deputy governor of Tak province, Surapol Wongsukphisarn, stated yesterday that around 1,000 refugees had voluntarily returned home.
This news comes after it was reported yesterday morning that 1000’s of people seeking refuge in Tak’s Mae Sot and Mae Ramat districts. The heavy combating in Myanmar’s Myawaddy area between the alliance of the People’s Defence Force, the Karen National Liberation Army, and the Myanmar military, towards Border Guard forces, lasted for three days. The combating compelled over 9,000 Karen villagers to flee across the border into Thailand’s Mae Ramat and Mae Sot districts.
Over 8,000 stay in momentary shelters in Thailand, with many of them waiting to see how the state of affairs develops in Myanmar. Over 3,700 refugees have now been given temporary shelter in Mae Ramat district, and over 5,000 in Mae Sot district, according to Bangkok Post.
Deputy Governor Surapol stated that Thai authorities are dedicated to voluntary repatriation, and not forced return.
Thai authorities have been deployed around the shelters to make sure the protection of the refugees, however some aged and youngster refugees have fallen sick because of the hot climate, and the shelters have turn into overcrowded.
The scenario in Myanmar stays tense, with ongoing violence between ethnic groups and the army. The country has been in turmoil since a navy coup in February 2021, which has sparked widespread protests and violence. The United Nations known as for an end to the violence and for the restoration of democracy in Myanmar.
Myanmar’s many ethnic minorities have fashioned armed teams combating for their ethnic groups’ autonomy ever since the nation gained independence in 1948..