On 22 April 2019, Mrs. Kanchana Patarachoke, Director-General of the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, and U Myo Thant Pe, Director-General of the Department of Consular and Legal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, co-chaired the 1st Meeting of the Thailand - Myanmar Joint Technical Working Group on the Myanmar Displaced Persons in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. The meeting was attended by relevant government agencies from Thailand and Myanmar.

 

The 1st Meeting of the Joint Technical Working Group followed up the outcomes of the 3rd Meeting of the Thailand – Myanmar Joint Working Group on the Preparation of the Return of Myanmar Displaced Persons co-chaired by Mrs. Busaya Mathelin, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and U Myint Thu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, on 6 March 2019 in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. The outcomes included the preparations for the return of the next batch of Myanmar Displaced Persons, which is expected to take place by the first half of 2019, the establishment of learning centres and community development projects based on the application of the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) to promote the sustainable development of the receiving areas in Myanmar, and possible ways and means for the returnees to re-enter Thailand for legal employment.

 

The Joint Technical Working Group on Myanmar Displaced Persons has been tasked by both Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries to propel the return process and discuss how to enhance dynamism of the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return. The next meeting of the Joint Technical Working Group will be held in Thailand by the end of 2019.