Overview

• Government spokesperson Jirayu Hongsub said the cabinet backed a Labor Ministry plan on Wednesday to allow long-staying refugees from Myanmar to work legally.
• Roughly 80,000 refugees in nine border shelters are covered, with 42,601 of working age and many having lived in the camps for decades.
• Officials say the move will help ease labor gaps following conflict-driven departures of Cambodian workers, with 520,000 Cambodians employed in Thailand before the July fighting.
• UNHCR described the decision as a turning point that can lift GDP, reduce reliance on humanitarian aid, and it pledged support for rollout while advocating broader inclusion.
• Thailand already employs nearly 3 million workers from Myanmar, and key sectors such as construction, agriculture, and services depend on migrant labor.