Aid pledges from the European Union and Japan have brought hope to Myanmar refugees along the Thai border, but camp workers say conditions remain dire, with healthcare services showing little improvement.

Speaking from Umpiem Mai camp in Tak Province, a health worker told DVB that despite confirmed new donors, “we haven’t seen any noticeable changes yet.” The camp, located south of Mae Sot, is one of nine hosting around 107,000 refugees displaced by conflict in Myanmar.

On 20 April, the EU announced a €15 million package to strengthen healthcare, child protection and livelihoods in the camps. Earlier, on 16 February, Japan pledged 453 million yen (£2.95 million) in health assistance for 60,000 refugees in Umpiem Mai, Mae La and Nu Po camps.

Yet aid workers say patients are increasingly avoiding hospitals due to high costs, with some deaths reported. Staff stipends are also shrinking: monthly payments for 23 health workers are expected to drop from 5,000 baht (£110) to 3,000 baht (£65), following cuts by the US-based International Rescue Committee (IRC), which halted most primary care operations last year.

The nine camps stretch across Tak, Mae Hong Son, Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces, bordering Myanmar’s Karen and Karenni states. While Thailand has recently expanded access to education and healthcare—allocating 160 million baht (£3.5 million) in 2025 and granting legal work status to long-term refugees—aid workers say the gap between pledges and delivery remains wide.

“We aim to ensure that refugees have equitable access to essential services while building the skills and opportunities needed for self-reliance,” said Darren Hertz, IRC’s country director in Thailand, in the EU’s announcement.

For now, however, refugees and those assisting them say the promised support has yet to translate into tangible improvements on the ground.

-2026-04-29

I wonder if in corrupt Myanmar any of this money will actually get to where it is intended to go?

Edited April 30Apr 30 by biggles45
Typo