Camp: Ban Mai Nai Soi (BMN) - 3 km west of Nai Soi. In 1992, the first official Karenni refugee camps were established in the
Mae Hong Son province. Out of the four camps found in the Mae Hong Son province, the Ban Mai Nai Soi (BMN) camp is the largest with almost 20,000 residents. Most of its inhabitants are from the Karen and Karenni ethnic minority groups fleeing from
Myanmar. These people fled Myanmar as a result of instability and human rights violations. However,
Thailand’s Ministry of Interior defines the status of these people as “displaced persons fleeing fighting” and thus views them as having illegally entered the country. As such, those who leave the camps are subject to arrest and charge for illegal entry.
General Population There are 5,030 households in the camp with 9,452 females and 10,026 males. Half of the refugees are children and adolescents. Most of these children were born inside the camp and have never experienced life outside of the refugee camp. Children usually grow up in confined conditions that seriously impact the development of their skills, talents, and vision. The parents must struggle to earn extra money to buy enough meat, vegetables and fruit for their families. Although monthly rations are distributed, these are often not enough for a family to survive on. Parents also struggle to buy clothes for their children and to pay school fees. School fees can range from 25-50 baht per student and is collected by schoolteachers to be spent on school administration costs.
Education Basic education is available within the camp as well as various vocational training and
Thai language courses. There are 1,627 children enrolled in nursery school, 3,432 in primary education, 2,046 in secondary education, 382 in high school education, and 143 enrolled in post-Grade 10 or teacher training programs, making it a total of 7,630 students. Most graduates of post-Grade 10 educations are getting jobs by replacing the refugees who have been offered resettlement in another country. These jobs are in the areas of education, health and sanitation services.
Mental health In 2001, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assessed the mental health conditions of Karenni refugees residing in the Mae Hong Son refugee camps. The purpose of the assessment was “to determine the prevalence of mental illness, identify risk factors, and develop a cultural appropriate intervention program.” 317 households were surveyed with a ratio of 1.1:1 of male-to-female. The results of the survey found that 27% of respondents described the quality of life as miserable or very miserable with 60% describing it as neither pleasant nor unpleasant. 94% of respondents were also found to be unemployed or had no regular income. The most common trauma events experienced during the past 10 years were hiding in the jungle (70%), forced relocation (67%), lost property (66%), and destruction of houses and crops (48%). In addition, 3% of women and 3% of men reported having been raped. Of the respondents, 41% reported suffering from depression, 42% from anxiety, and 4.6% from
PTSD. The study also revealed several psychosocial risk factors, many of which can be modified by changes in refugee policy in the Karenni camps. For instance, the micronutrient content of food rations, in combination with the policy to forbid movement, employment, and cultivation of land outside of the camp negatively impact the social functioning and mental health of the Karenni refugees. As of February, 2017: There was only one "long-necked" woman and one tourist stand in the Ban Nai Soi Kayan Long-necked Village, which is located next to the entrance to the Ban Mai Nai Soi refugee camp, 3 km from Nai Soi on a dirt road in very poor condition. The sign at the entrance to Ban Nai Soi says entry is free, and that there are 20 families and 104 residents, although the sign appears to be several years old. The village contains a school, health clinic, and Christian church. No long-necked women live in the town of Nai Soi itself.
Refugee Status In 2005, the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees opened registration for all 50,000 refugees in the area. Almost every Kayan family applied and two were approved for
New Zealand and one for Finland. However, the Thai government has defined the Kayans as “a
hill tribe” and thus has denied these people the right to seek
asylum. The
Royal Thai Government states that refugee status only applies to “someone living in the refugee camp and who was a war refugee.” As a result, the Kayan people are not allowed to leave their largely sealed-off refugee camps in Thailand. As of 2008, these families are still not allowed to leave. Recent findings have indicated that this restriction is largely for economic rather than political reasons. In particular, Kayan women who wear brass rings are not allowed to leave the village. This is because the Thai government fears that if tourists can see these women for free in cities and towns, then they will not pay to see them in the villages. ==References==