༥མཱམཱམཱ ༨ " * ཡ', •ན-?ཛ ཝ ལྐུ བ ་ ནད་ར་དངགས་
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huts and stretching into the far distance are other huts made of leaf, tarpaulin, plastic sheeting etc. and the quality of the accommodation deteriorated the further one went into the camp. Although, crowded, the standard was as good as some Thai plantation workers' accommo- dation in the rubber plantations.
Health
6.
A French Medical Mission, "Medecin sans Frontier", provides 2 doctors and a qualified nurse and these are supplemented by about 8 Vietnamese doctors. The nurse said that TB, measles and chest diseases were the most common complaints but there was an endless and unsatisfied demand for medical services. Drugs were provided partly by the Mission and partly by the UNHCR. Serious cases are sent to Government hospitals. Some latrines had been provided and a crude garbage service seemed to
exist, but there was a lot of dirt and flies about and the sea was probably used for washing and toilet facilities: it was the camps saving grace.
Refugee Population
7.
On the day of our visit there were about 6,000 refugees in the camp, about one third of whom were children. Recent arrivals were all ethnic Vietnamese, but earlier arrivals were Chinese. The latter were segregated by the Vietnamese management and occupied the more run down accommo- dation.
Resettlement
8.
to the camp.
As refugees arrive on the coast they are rounded up and brought
One or two boat loads had come to the camp direct. 1,400 had arrived in recent weeks. The longest standing refugees had been there over 1 year.
So far 550 have been resettled from the camp, mostly to the US, Canada, Australia. Overseas missions visit the camp periodically to make selections. The Thais regard them strictly as only temporary residents.
UNHCR
9. The Thais do not have much regard for UNHCR (or the refugees), but they put up with both as their contribution to the refugee problem. They deliberately keep them out of sight and trust that UNHCR will resettle them quickly and before they create problems and comparisons are made by local people at their affluence and idleness.
Conclusions
10.
My impression was of a rather sullen community. The general standard of the camp (in which bed space is officially square metre per person) was lower than anything in Hong Kong, but access to the beach and sea provided a useful safety valve. I was surprised at the number of radios, transistors, electric sewing machines etc. Obviously quite large remittances are received and local Thais seem quick to do business with the refugees. Crime is said not to be a problem. It was interesting to read in the local press that 2 Thai men who visited the camp the day we were there to see a girl, were identified by her as members of the crew
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