![Focus group in Mae Sot](https://i0.wp.com/alais.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/L1110576-1024x683.jpg?resize=700%2C467)
Focus group in Mae Sot
(Originally published in the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs)
The first refugee camp along the Thai-Myanmar border was established in 1984 in Mae La to welcome refugees from worn-torn Myanmar. Since 1984, a total of 9 camps have been created along the Thai-Myanmar border, hosting approximately 120,000 people in close quarters. These camps provide refugees with basic amenities and access to healthcare by international organizations.