Executive Summary
Following the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, people across the country protested against the junta regime by the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), which included students refusing to attend schools and universities controlled by the military and educators from high schools and universities. Starting in February 2021, the Myanmar military junta violently cracked down on peaceful protesters and civilians who were against them, issuing warrants, conducting house searches, making arrests, and killing individuals which also increased the risk of forced displacements in both internal and external migration sectors. Thailand remains a popular destination for people from Myanmar both for formal and irregular migration, driven by political and economic factors, including the recent enforcement of the conscription law by the junta government. Our research study examined the challenges faced by displaced university students from Myanmar in Thailand, particularly in Mae Sot, a border town connected to Myanmar, by uncovering their migration patterns and experiences as new migrants in Thailand. These students mainly faced legal challenges, financial difficulties, and educational barriers after being forcibly displaced due to their activism against the 2021 coup. This policy brief highlights the impact of the authoritarian regime on pro-democracy activism, as well as the need for policy interventions to ensure access to education, legal protection, and stability in foreign settings.
