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BANGKOK —As Thailand faces a growing influx of refugees from Myanmar following the military coup, MP Rangsiman Rome, chair of the Thai House Committee on National Security and deputy leader of the People's Party, emphasizes the need for urgent reform.
"The immediate step is to register the people," Rome tells VOA, citing corruption and the lack of legal recognition that leave many refugees vulnerable. "By recognizing them, we can give them access to education and work, while ensuring they contribute by paying taxes."
In this exclusive interview with VOA, Rome discusses Thailand's challenges with migration, corruption and the need for coordinated government action to address the crisis.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
VOA: What are your criticisms of the government's handling of this crisis, and what should they do differently?
Rangsiman Rome: The civil war in Myanmar is devastating, forcing many to flee into Thailand. Unfortunately, Thailand wasn't prepared, and refugees now live in the shadows without legal status. We can't return them due to international and domestic laws, so we've been working with [nongovernmental organizations] to provide humanitarian aid, but a long-term solution is necessary.
Thailand shares a 2,400-kilometer border with Myanmar, and instability there allows for illegal activities like drug smuggling and human trafficking, affecting Thailand and the region. ASEAN [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations] must pressure the State Administration Council [SAC], Myanmar's junta, to support peace and democracy in Myanmar.
In the short term, Thailand must register the 6 million Myanmar people here, providing them with legal status, work and education. Right now, the government's policy on this issue remains unclear.
VOA: What immediate steps should be taken?
Rome: Registering the Myanmar people who are in Thailand would be a good first step. One of the problems that we are facing is corruption. A lot of refugees have to pay the money to the police or other authorities in order to work. If the Thai government would recognize these people living in Thailand, it would make it so they can not only access health care and education, but also they will be able to work and therefore have the responsibility to pay taxes. At the same time, we need to reach out to our friends like Japan, the U.S. and Australia for help with managing this situation, such as humanitarian aid.
VOA: A recent Lower House report highlighted legal loopholes contributing to human rights violations. What changes do you propose?
Rome: When we register them, we can make sure that our law will protect them. Abuses can happen because we don't recognize them. So, [if] anything happens to them, they cannot report it; but if they are registered, they can earn, can live like normal people in Thailand.
At the same time, if you want to solve this, we have to talk about how it starts. In Myanmar we find out that as many as 2 million refugees are in the IDP [internally displaced people] camps because of the ongoing bombardment by the SAC. If everyone in the international community would come together to pressure the SAC to stop this, maybe a million refugees could return to their homes again. So, we need to not just manage the refugees in Thailand, but we have to deal with the situation in Myanmar.
VOA: Ministries have been criticized for working in "silos." How do you plan to improve coordination?
Rome: As chair of the National Security Committee, I ensure that our recommendations benefit Thailand. We aim to play a larger role in the U.N. Human Rights Council, but we must manage the refugee situation appropriately to maintain our reputation.
We are working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure Myanmar refugees can live safely in Thailand. Additionally, the SAC has been using Thailand's banking system to launder money for weapons, and we've been pushing the foreign minister to take action on this.
VOA: Access to health care, education and basic services for migrants remain major issues. How do you assess the government's efforts, and what would you do differently?
Rome: The policy around education in Thailand is not very clear. For example, there have been cases where the government closed a day care because they were singing a song to the children in Burmese and they found that unacceptable. The problem is that it's very hard for refugee children to access school in Thailand and not every school has the same policies.
The people at the border, they cannot have a Thai education, so the Thai authority is trying to create a separate Burmese program for them, but it doesn't make sense to me. How can the Thai government make a Burmese program?
I think one of the very important things is we need to change this policy. Kids are innocent. They should have access to the Thai education system, and actually, we have space for them. We are an aging society. Schools are actually closing due to a lack of enrollment because of low birth rates. I think Thailand must change, and if I controlled the government, absolutely we would open the education system for Myanmar people to study in Thailand. I believe that if they are better educated, it benefits not only themselves but all of Thailand.
VOA: There was a protest in front of the Myanmar Embassy a few days ago where protesters were complaining about the large number of Myanmar refugees in Thailand. What do you think is driving this protest?
Rome: Thailand's struggling economy has led to job losses, and with over 6 million Myanmar refugees here, tensions are rising. Corruption adds to the issue, with refugees forced to pay bribes just to live. Crimes involving Myanmar refugees are often publicized more, worsening relations between Thai and Myanmar people.
Registering the refugees would reduce corruption and ensure equal treatment under the law. Right now, Thai law restricts foreigners from working in many sectors, but if managed properly, Myanmar workers could contribute significantly to our economy. They are essential to Thailand and bringing them out of the shadows will help us all.
VOA: Given the current situation, what message would you like to share with the Myanmar migrants living in Thailand?
Rome: I understand that the people from Myanmar seek peace and safety here, hoping to provide for their families. The crisis in Myanmar forced them to flee and find opportunities elsewhere.
As an MP, I want Thailand to uphold human rights, but that's difficult due to many factors - history, education and the economy. Still, I believe that Myanmar and Thailand, as neighbors, must work together. Real change requires improving the situation in Myanmar. I know the Myanmar people want peace and democracy, and I hope we can achieve that together.