Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 14 “It is high time Thailand joined the Convention so that the issue of refugees can be dealt with under a proper international framework” Commentary Professor Supang Chantavanich 66 Dignity and Justice for All of Us Professor Supang Chantavanich, an expert on migration and refugees from Chulalongkorn University, concurs that the two voices illustrate very well the different needs of different generations of refugees that need to be taken into consideration. According to Professor Chantavanich, there are three frequently asked questions regarding the status of refugees in Thailand: why are refugees not allowed to go outside the camp, why are they not allowed to work, and why are they not being sent to a third country. Professor Chantavanich provides the following answers: “In answer to the first question, I think it is normal practice in every country. Refugees cannot move around freely. In fact, Thailand has shown flexibility by allowing some refugees to attend school outside the camp. Regarding the second question, the government is currently setting up a system to allow refugees to commute to work outside the camp on a daily basis. As for the last question, a number of refugees have already been resettled in third countries,” she reports. Professor Chantavanich believes that Thailand has done well in terms of accommodating the rights of people who have fled war in neighbouring countries. However, she agrees that conflict exists between the refugees and the Ministry of Interior’s volunteer guards, who are in charge of patrolling the camps. “The problem is that we only have the Immigration Law to deal with the issue of refugees.” She points out that this law is not appropriate nor adequately responsive to the current situation. “Seven years ago, there was a debate about whether or not Thailand should become a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. I did not see the necessity then, because in my view, Thailand had already followed what was required in the Convention. But today, the situation has changed a lot, and there are new challenges. Thailand has become a first port of call for those who seek to resettle in a third country. I think it is high time Thailand joined the Convention so that the issue of refugees can be dealt with under a proper international framework,” she says.