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iii) South Thailand Much depended on attitude of local governors and
police. Vietnamese had been called illegal immigrants and not refugees. Very crowded but little disease. Attempts at improvement were being made by UNHCR, Baptists and Coordin ting Committee in Bangkok.
iv) North East Thailand Vietnamese boat people were mostly being moved out
very quickly to Bangkok and overseas.
v) North Thailand
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Camps for Laotians -(Lao, Meo, Yao and Think tribes) Many had been over three years in the camp. Medical problems were partly due to the eating of white rice. Only 50% wished to emigrate; some might now be allowed to settle permanently but outside help e.g. UNHCR would be needed. This might cause problems because of the needs of the local population and competition for cultivable land.
There were some abuses but on the whole conditions were not too bad. Here again much depended on the attitude of local governor and police.
Sob Tuang Camp-YMCA sponsored and Oxfam grants - separate from Thai village, therefore less problems. Medical services were good through 20 bed"clinic'in camp, 28 bed "clinic" in the village and a provincial hospital at Nan. The schools in the camp were temporarily closed because of lack of funds. Handicrafts, etc. had a marketing scheme. Pig farming, tailoring, etc. have been started. There was little restriction on movement and refugees could work on roads and local farms.
Nam Yai Camp- more crowded with rigid regulations, barbed wire, etc. but conditions had improved. Many refugees had been there for over three years and with 5 deaths and 56 births in three weeks numbers were increasing,
f) UNHCR
....
The August figures were:-
For Thailand
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116,000
Laotians 98,000 Vietnamese 4,000
Kampucheans 14,000
The High Commissioner was discussing the possibility of permanent settle- ment in Thailand. The Thai Government would be prepared to consider this when the end of the influx was in view; and when there were no longer possibilities of resettlement elsewhere. Some schemes were being discussed.
There had been pressure on the Thai Government from several sources to ensure that the refugees would not be sent back but the undertaking had been made on the assumption that other countries would receive more of the refugees.
Only a few hundreds had been voluntarily repatriated to Laos.
A high proportion of "boat people" from Vietnam were of Chinese origin. g) ODM was considering grants of up to £140,000 for the voluntary organisations
working in Thailand.
There were still some details to be worked out because of overlapping e.g. in medical care projects. Also further information was required about the work of the Coordinating Committee which ODM considered of great importance and which YMCA had started; because of lack of funds YMCA had discontinued this service.
Further information was required about the exact budget for the co- ordinating Committee and the amounts contributed by the other members. Michael Hawkes agreed to look into this on his forthcoming visit to Bangkok.
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