Impact of Non-Governmental Organizations’ Bases Relocation from Thai-Myanmar Border

Abstract

The major political change in Myanmar after the general election in 2010 has caused the relocation of non-governmental organizations, from their bases on the Thai-Myanmar border areas to the inner cities of Myanmar. This article aims to study the nature and impact moving non-governmental organizations working bases from the border areas during the years 2010 – 2016 by using the qualitative research methodology to collect data from documents, and key interviews.
The study indicated that the movement of these organizations depends on their goals and their target groups. There have been changes in personnel due to the need for locally-based personnel in the new target inner area. A change from the past is that funders now focus more on development than the progress of democracy. Migrant workers and their families, stateless people, and people from Myanmar living near the border are main groups impacted, especially in matters of education and health, which are normally inaccessible to them either in Thailand or Myanmar.
Suggestions are made that the two governments should work together to solve the problems of stateless people in the border area, and provide them with accessibility to government services. Non-governmental organizations should coordinate with the governments and local community-based organizations to continue working in the relevant areas.