Refugees: Collateral Damage In Thailand’s Illegal Migrant Crackdown
Fatima, 48, thought she would find safety in Thailand when she fled war-torn Syria almost six years ago.
“We came to Thailand because it was the only country that gave us a visa,” says Fatima, who was born in the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk, near Damascus.
However, the visa expired before her or her husband were able to find a legal job, rendering them illegal migrants. A few months later, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recognised their refugee status, but they remained illegal in the eyes of Thailand.
