Fire Kills 27 At Mae Hong Son Refugee Camp

[Tywais]

Fire kills 27 at Mae Hong Son refugee camp

March 22, 2013 9:00 pm

A blaze raged through a refugee camp in the northern Mae Hong Son province on Friday evening, leaving at least 27 people dead and dozens others injured.

About 100 houses in the Baan Mae Surin refugee camp, located in Khun Yuam district, were destroyed in the fire. There are more than 3,500 residents in the camp, most of them Karen refugees from Myanmar.

The fire started at about 4 pm and it took fire-fighters more than two hours to control the blaze.

There were conflicting reports involving the cause of the fire. Some sources said it was caused by a forest fire while others blamed careless cooking by some camp residents.

-- The Nation 22-March-2013

The Nation

[ratcatcher]

Now this is what I call a real tragedy.

My heart goes out to these poor people, unwanted in their homeland and barely tolerated in Thailand.

I hope the dead can find peace in their next life and the survivors rebuild their shattered lives.

Can we hope the government assists them in some way at least with providing new shelter?

[soi41]

If the Thai authorities did not keep the refugees locked up like animals, maybe there would have been no casulties ?? "I don't care if you are burning or not, without the correct paperwork you are not entering the Kingdom!"

May those poor peoples souls rest in peace.

[philw]

Sad, sad, sad.

People who already suffer, have to suffer more.

Sad.

[philw]

Now this is what I call a real tragedy.

My heart goes out to these poor people, unwanted in their homeland and barely tolerated in Thailand.

I hope the dead can find peace in their next life and the survivors rebuild their shattered lives.

Can we hope the government assists them in some way at least with providing new shelter?

Yeah, agree with you.

Phil.

[Pib]

Such a shame...this world can be a hard place to live in...and some parts of the world are worst than others. RIP.

[mania]

About two weeks ago they reported this...

Forest office orders hunt for those behind fires

After struggling with a month of severe pollution caused by manmade
fires in the North, the Mae Hong Son forest office ordered a hunt for
the arsonists yesterday.

[Tywais]

30 Burma refugees dead after Thai refugee camp fire

Fire, believed to have been started by cooking accident, destroys about 100 shacks

About 30 Burmese refugees are believed to have died in a fire at a camp in Thailand.

Mae Hong Son Governor Narumol Palawat said the fire Friday destroyed about 100 shacks at the Ban Mae Surin refugee camp. She said the blaze is believed to have been started by a cooking accident. Those who lost their shelters are being temporarily housed in tents.

About 3,300 refugees, mostly from Burma’s Karen minority, live at the camp. More than 100,000 refugees live in Thai camps near the Burmese border, mostly ethnic Karen who fled fighting between Karen guerrillas and the government.

Mae Hong Son is about 925 kilometres north of Bangkok.

wral.com

[Mampara]

If the Thai authorities did not keep the refugees locked up like animals, maybe there would have been no casulties ?? "I don't care if you are burning or not, without the correct paperwork you are not entering the Kingdom!"

May those poor peoples souls rest in peace.

So what do you want us to do? open all our borders and let all the elements move freely in the country. immediately send them back to where they came from? give some logical suggestions.

[Jim walker]

What
an absolute horror for these poor people RIP and I hope they have now found peace
where ever they are.

[Guest]

Is there any pictures of these camps? Something to give an image how the camps are made of and why so many people died on the fire?

[HOOD Robin]

Such a shame...this world can be a hard place to live in...and some parts of the world are worst than others. RIP.

we only know the top of the iceberg...... shame on TH !

[Tywais]

32 Myanmar refugees die in fire at Thai camp

(AP) 32 Myanmar refugees die in fire at Thai camp
BANGKOK

At least 32 Myanmar refugees died Friday in a raging fire at a camp in Thailand, officials said.

Mae Hong Son Gov. Naramol Palawat said the fire destroyed about 100 thatch huts at the Ban Mae Surin refugee camp. She said the blaze was believed to have been started by a cooking accident. The fire was put out after about two hours, and those who lost their shelters are being temporarily housed in tents, she said.

A worker for the local emergency medical service said 32 people had died and two were severely injured and sent to a hospital in Chiang Mai, the nearest big city. The worker, who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to release information, said several dozen people suffered minor injuries.

About 3,300 refugees, mostly from Myanmar's Karen minority, live at the camp. More than 100,000 refugees live in Thai camps near the Myanmar border, mostly ethnic Karen who fled fighting between Karen guerrillas and the government.

Fires in the camps are not uncommon, especially in the hot season, which is approaching in Thailand. The density of the housing and lack of firefighting equipment mean large numbers of shelters are often destroyed, but Friday's death toll was unusually high.

Source

[george]

Fire kills 30 at refugee camp in Thailand: officials

by Anusak Konglang

BANGKOK, March 22, 2013 (AFP) - Thirty people were killed and about 200 were injured Friday when a fire broke out in a camp in northern Thailand housing refugees from neighbouring Myanmar, Thai officials said.

Many of the victims were believed to be women, children and the elderly.

"The fire destroyed 100 makeshift houses. There are 30 people dead and many injured," said an interior ministry official.

The blaze broke out at about 4:00 pm (0900 GMT) at the Mae Surin camp in Mae Hong Son province and was extinguished about two hours later, she said.

It is believed to have been caused by people cooking.

"Most of the dead are women, elderly and children. Some 200 are wounded and hospitalised," a senior national intelligence official said.

The Thai government pledged an investigation into the fire at the camp, which houses roughly 3,700 refugees.

"I regret this incident and too many people died," Interior Minister Jarupong Ruaengsuwan told AFP. "The casualties should not be so high. I will investigate the cause of the fire."

Ten camps strung out along the Thai-Myanmar border house a total of about 130,000 people, who first began arriving in the 1980s.

Many of the refugees have fled conflict zones in ethnic areas of Myanmar, also known as Burma.

Families often live cheek-by-jowl in simple bamboo-and-thatch dwellings.

Many of the camp residents have been registered with the UN as refugees, and an ongoing resettlement programme has allowed tens of thousands to move to third countries.

After a new quasi-civilian government replaced the long-ruling junta in Myanmar two years ago, Thailand announced it wanted to shut the border camps, raising concern among their residents.

But so far the displaced residents have been allowed to stay and the Thai government has stressed that it will only send them back when it is safe.

Many of the refugees are from Myanmar's eastern Karen state, where a major rebel group, the Karen National Union (KNU) signed a ceasefire deal with the new regime last year after decades of civil war.

Vast numbers of people fled the former Myanmar junta's counter-insurgency campaign, which rights groups say deliberately targeted civilians, driving them from their homes, destroying villages and forcing them to work for the army.

Years of war have left the Karen region littered with landmines while development has been held back, leaving dilapidated infrastructure and threadbare education and health services.

Hundreds of homes were destroyed at a different border camp in February last year by a fire that the authorities also blamed on cooking.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-03-23

[shawndoc]

If the Thai authorities did not keep the refugees locked up like animals, maybe there would have been no casulties ?? "I don't care if you are burning or not, without the correct paperwork you are not entering the Kingdom!"

May those poor peoples souls rest in peace.

So what do you want us to do? open all our borders and let all the elements move freely in the country. immediately send them back to where they came from? give some logical suggestions.

They're refugees, and many have lived in these camps for years. Grant them asylum, and let them leave the camps and get jobs. Most countries grant some form of resident visa to those granted asylum, there's no reason to keep them confined to camps where they are nothing but a drain on the Thai government.

[anon467367354]

If the Thai authorities did not keep the refugees locked up like animals, maybe there would have been no casulties ?? "I don't care if you are burning or not, without the correct paperwork you are not entering the Kingdom!"

May those poor peoples souls rest in peace.

So what do you want us to do? open all our borders and let all the elements move freely in the country. immediately send them back to where they came from? give some logical suggestions.

They're refugees, and many have lived in these camps for years. Grant them asylum, and let them leave the camps and get jobs. Most countries grant some form of resident visa to those granted asylum, there's no reason to keep them confined to camps where they are nothing but a drain on the Thai government.

It seems their hatred the others or self pride in regards to where they happened to have been born on this planet takes precedence over common sense. This "us and them" is so destructive it's destroying the country and becoming more and more third world. There can never be a developed country with the absence of developed minds. Even as much as I love Thailand, this really creates conflict for me.

[zenia]

good point Shawndoc, and still more migrants are coming to thailand to take jobs that thai don't want to do anymore....

at the border towns and in bkk... all these camp are middle age abuse of power style na !

[hellodolly]

If the Thai authorities did not keep the refugees locked up like animals, maybe there would have been no casulties ?? "I don't care if you are burning or not, without the correct paperwork you are not entering the Kingdom!"

May those poor peoples souls rest in peace.

So what do you want us to do? open all our borders and let all the elements move freely in the country. immediately send them back to where they came from? give some logical suggestions.

He has obviously never been in a refuge camp. I am surprised that there was only 30 people killed the camp I was in was what you might call crowded. Homes about 6 feet apart. It was indeed a tragedy and hopefully it will not be repeated again.

[johnlandy]

Now this is what I call a real tragedy.

My heart goes out to these poor people, unwanted in their homeland and barely tolerated in Thailand.

I hope the dead can find peace in their next life and the survivors rebuild their shattered lives.

Can we hope the government assists them in some way at least with providing new shelter?

NO!

[Hecate]

Very sad. These people have suffered so much.

[Beetlejuice]

If the Thai authorities did not keep the refugees locked up like animals, maybe there would have been no casulties ?? "I don't care if you are burning or not, without the correct paperwork you are not entering the Kingdom!"

May those poor peoples souls rest in peace.

So what do you want us to do? open all our borders and let all the elements move freely in the country. immediately send them back to where they came from? give some logical suggestions.

You`re a fool.

What does that mean, `what do you want us to do?' You are a foreigner yourself in this country, that`s if you do actually live here?

Do you consider yourself as some kind of privileged elite and above these people?

Out of interest: if you do reside in Thailand, what exactly is your status here?

Maybe children and innocents have been killed and died an horrific death. A terrible, tragic state of affairs.

[prakhonchai nick]

"I regret this incident and too many people died," Interior Minister
Charupong Ruangsuwan said. "The casualties should not be so high. I will
investigate the cause of the fire."

Would the Interior Minister have been satisfied if only 20 had died then?

Lump everyone together in combustible dwellings, lock them in, then what do you expect?

Shame on Thailand -once again!

Edited March 22, 2013 by prakhonchai nick

[Nisa]

Is there any pictures of these camps? Something to give an image how the camps are made of and why so many people died on the fire?

Fire kills 30 at Thailand refugee camp - http://news.xin.msn.com/en/regional/fire-kills-30-at-thailand-refugee-camp

Karen Refugee Camp (Thailand) - http://kareninitiative.com/

Feb. 2012 - A fire engulfs huts in the Um-Piam refugee camp in Thailand's Tak Province, 426 kilometers (265 miles) west of Bangkok. Um-Piam is the second largest refugee camp along the Thai-Myanmar border, which houses more than 15,000 Burmese refugees. More than 200 homes have been destroyed. (Reuters)

Ban Mai Nai Soi, in Thailand’s northwestern province of Mae Hong Son, is the biggest refugee camp in Thailand. (Photo: Echo Hui / The Irrawaddy) http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/24111

This flickr user has a number of pictures that provide some insight into the camps .... http://www.flickr.com/photos/caspersz/421706046/in/set-434143/

Edited March 22, 2013 by Nisa

[AllanB]

These people are either political or economic migrants and it is impossible to open the flood-gates when you are surrounded by so many poor countries. Thailand doesn't need any more poor people, certainly not the many millions who would pour in from Laos, Burma and even Bangladesh and Vietnam.. Who knows possibly India and China too, once the news gets around...in about 10 minutes.

So wise up guys, these camps are a necessity, as are these terrible incidents, or do you want to live in a country with 10 million street beggars and thieves?.

and yes, fortunately we are the elite, we have money so they let us stay here, the minute we don't they throw us out.

RIP........

[Ingrid75]

If the Thai authorities did not keep the refugees locked up like animals, maybe there would have been no casulties ?? "I don't care if you are burning or not, without the correct paperwork you are not entering the Kingdom!"

May those poor peoples souls rest in peace.

So what do you want us to do? open all our borders and let all the elements move freely in the country. immediately send them back to where they came from? give some logical suggestions.

How about processing them as refugees and treating them like human beings. Not caging them up indefinately. They are human beings, not 'elements' and they have just as much right to live on this planet as do the rest of us who were simply 'lucky' enough to not be born in a country like Burma.

[oldsailor35]

They look to me like absolute "fire bombs"

[Locationthailand]

These people are either political or economic migrants and it is impossible to open the flood-gates when you are surrounded by so many poor countries. Thailand doesn't need any more poor people, certainly not the many millions who would pour in from Laos, Burma and even Bangladesh and Vietnam.. Who knows possibly India and China too, once the news gets around...in about 10 minutes.

So wise up guys, these camps are a necessity, as are these terrible incidents, or do you want to live in a country with 10 million street beggars and thieves?.

and yes, fortunately we are the elite, we have money so they let us stay here, the minute we don't they throw us out.

RIP........

But this is just as much of a problem the UN needs to solve. After all this is what they claim they do - help globally. Thailand won't change anything, add anything or do anything. But the UN cannot sit idly by in a lame capacity and not assist Thailand to help these people. There are more people living in poverty now and the numbers are growing, than any previous time since the 1800's. People here choose to live in shanty towns like this to avoid persecution, which goes to show what they had before, must have been unbearable. A little compassion as a fellow human, who is far better off than them, would not go astray. I disagree with your statement completely... these camps are a necessity, as are these terrible incidents. <deleted> is that supposed to mean - this incident was a necessary culling ???

Edited March 23, 2013 by Locationthailand

[BKS22]

Makes me thankful and appreciative of my life.

I hope something positive comes out of this horrific disaster.

RIP to those souls that perished.

[webfact]

UPDATE:

42 die in fire at Myanmar refugee camp in Thailand: official

BANGKOK, March 23, 2013 (AFP) - At least 42 people died and dozens were injured in a fire at a camp for Myanmar refugees in northern Thailand, the provincial governor said Saturday giving an updated toll.

"The latest death toll we can confirm through military walkie-talkies is 42," Mae Hong Son provincial governor Narumol Paravat told AFP by telephone, adding the toll from Friday's blaze was likely to rise further as rescue workers search the area.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-03-23

[spectrumisgreen]

These people are either political or economic migrants and it is impossible to open the flood-gates when you are surrounded by so many poor countries. Thailand doesn't need any more poor people, certainly not the many millions who would pour in from Laos, Burma and even Bangladesh and Vietnam.. Who knows possibly India and China too, once the news gets around...in about 10 minutes.

So wise up guys, these camps are a necessity, as are these terrible incidents, or do you want to live in a country with 10 million street beggars and thieves?.

and yes, fortunately we are the elite, we have money so they let us stay here, the minute we don't they throw us out.

RIP........

So, Mister 'Elite'.. ok, it can be agreed agree that Thailand can't simply open the flood-gates and so these camps are a 'necessity' to some extent at least.. but these 'incidents' are necessary also...??????? Hitler's dead and gone, you know, so your culling of the 'beggars and thieves' is a bit misplaced and unnecessary (the camps you mentioned should be enough, no?)... and no, we (westerners) don't all have money. I certainly don't but have nonetheless been here in Thailand for six years now.. working in a government institute, (despite the low, LOW salary!), which is why I - and so many others likewise positioned or dispositioned or just happy to be here regardless - have relatively only minor issues to deal with when it comes to visa and work-permit issue, re-issue, and extension(s), and they don't 'throw us out' despite that we're not members of your merry band of 'have-moneys'...

.. as per your signature quote, I'd finish with '..if i agreed with you we'd both be wrong' which is not to say I don't think you have some fair points, but also that I do think maybe you might (re)consider that there's a bit of 'wising up' to be done from your own perspective before speaking out with such apparent certainty - and even some extreme right-wing inference - on matters you're perhaps not quite so fully au-fait with as you'd like to believe...

That said, have a good day and RIP all those lost...