Right to work when home no longer works for you

In 2025, Thailand adopted a landmark policy, granting Myanmar nationals living in temporary shelters and border areas the legal right to work outside refugee camps. For the first time in decades, about 42,000 working-age individuals can now work legally, open bank accounts and benefit from labour protections. 

Myanmar nationals now make up one of the largest displaced populations in Thailand. They fled political violence following the February 2021 coup in Myanmar, which ignited a long and bloody civil war. 

Thailand’s decision didn’t happen overnight. It came after years of sustained social research, policy engagement and collaboration among academics, civil society, affected communities and policymakers, with key support from IDRC, including through the Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar (K4DM) initiative, a partnership with Global Affairs Canada. 

Moving beyond the limits of the 1951 Convention

Since the 2021 coup, political violence, economic collapse and forced military service have driven hundreds of thousands of Myanmar nationals across the border into Thailand, creating Southeast Asia’s biggest migration route between two countries. 

For more than 40 years, people from Myanmar in Thai refugee camps have been barred from working legally, moving freely outside the camps, or accessing public services. 

Research consistently shows that displaced people seek the same thing: the ability to support themselves with dignity. Yet most of the world’s 30 million refugees and forcibly displaced people face legal barriers to employment. Globally, denying the right to work pushes people to rely on humanitarian aid — which is running out. In 2024, international refugee funding dropped to roughly USD39 (CAD53) per person, down from USD72 (CAD98) a decade earlier. In this context, the right to work is not only a human rights issue; it’s also a practical way to help economies and improve governance. 

Much of the global debate on refugee livelihoods is framed through the 1951 Refugee Convention. However, most Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand, haven’t signed it. While this is often seen as a protection gap, it also allows more flexible policies — creating chances for local solutions that fit real conditions.

Evidence that the right to work benefits everyone

For Thailand, hosting large displaced populations from a neighbouring country of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has created humanitarian, political and economic challenges. A common worry is that refugees and migrants could put pressure on jobs or public services. Research has been key in showing this fear is not true. 

Studies led by Thai scholars and institutions — many supported through IDRC-funded initiatives such as the research chairs on forced displacement and the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network — show that most Myanmar migrants are young, working and already helping in industries that lack workers.  

One leading voice in this field is Sirada Khemanitthathai of Chiang Mai University in Thailand. A prominent scholar on Myanmar migration and one of the 12 IDRC-funded chairs on forced displacement, her research combines deep study of migration rules with direct talks with policymakers, turning research into clear advice for Thai officials. 

Through parliamentary briefings, policy dialogues and collaborative reports, her work — and that of colleagues across the region — has helped dispel the perception that migrants are a security threat and highlighted how they are a vital part of Thailand’s population and economy. 

From research to Cabinet decisions

One of the best examples of research shaping policy comes from Chiang Mai University’s School of Public Policy. With support from several institutions, including IDRC, and led by Ora-orn Poocharoen, the school organized a first-of-its-kind planning and consultation process involving the whole government. This effort brought together the National Security Council, multiple ministries, the Royal Thai Armed Forces’ Border Affairs Department and civil society organizations. 

These consultations shaped the Border Connectivity Initiative Project, which aims to manage movement across the Myanmar border in a more organized way. In March 2025, the school formally submitted its policy report to the deputy prime minister and minister of interior of Thailand. 

Five months later, Thailand’s Cabinet approved measures to regulate and legalize work for Myanmar nationals in temporary shelters — a decision rooted in years of research and relationship-building. The policy aims to bring more order and accountability while helping people support themselves through legal work. 

Why research funding matters

This policy shift shows an important lesson: social research does more than diagnose problems — it helps governments navigate politically sensitive issues with evidence and confidence. IDRC’s support was key not just for collecting data, but for sustaining the ecosystem that transforms knowledge into action: building capable institutions, fostering trust between researchers and policymakers and supporting long-term engagement. 

Another core point to IDRC’s approach was recognizing that, for policy change to lead to real impact on the ground, those most affected must be able to claim their rights safely. In northern border provinces such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Tak and Mae Hong Son, civil society organizations — often with researchers — have helped migrants learn Thai, understand labour regulations and express their needs. These initiatives have built trust with local officials and reduced the idea that displaced populations are invisible or ungovernable.

Contributors: Edgard Rodriguez, lead officer, K4DM initiative, IDRC; and Kundan Mishra, senior program officer, IDRC.