Mae La camp is home to more than 50,000 refugees.
Refugees, who fled violence in Myanmar, leave Thailand for third countries and hope for a better life for the resettlement. We have more details in this report from Reuter.
Thousands of bamboo huts have been built tightly together on the hill in Mae La camp, the biggest refugee camp along Thai-Myanmar border in Mae Sot district, 600 km north of Bangkok, providing shelter to refugees who fled their homeland to Thailand when Myanmar's military junta attacked them for forced labour and enslavement.
With their hope for a better life, Thailand was considered to be the only choice for them at that time.
That choice brought them to the Mae La camp, the biggest refugee camp in nine camps along Thai-Myanmar border which accommodate 48,000 people of which are mainly ethnic Karen.
It is about four kilometres away from Myanmar border and have existed since 1984 as a small settlement for ethnic Karen who have fled the biggest Myanmar army offensive.
However, freedom in the camp is limited and refugees are not allowed to go beyond the fence. Most of the adults just live aimlessly with nothing to do. Children run and play around in the trash-filled maze as many of them do not attend school.
To get away from the restrictions, Ah Jam (pron: Ar Jam) and her family then applied for a resettlement programme to the United States hoping her children would have a better life than being in the camp.
Ah Jam, Myanmar refugee said "My life will be better because my life is very hard here. It will be different and better in America."
Ko Kyaw, Myanmar refugee said "When I arrive there, I will need a sewing machine. I can earn money and continue my life from the sewing machine."
The U.S. is an alien country for these refugees with different culture and language. Many of them cannot speak English at all, with only a handful speaking broken English but they will have to attend cultural orientation and language classes before leaving for their new home.
Almost 1,300 of refugees depart every month from the refugee camps along Thai-Myanmar border.
http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=5513
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