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Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 13

in which they are registered may prevent them countries receive financial support from the
from obtaining a higher education or having government and can even receive
access to certain types of work. They need to accommodation provided by the government
obtain permission to travel from the governor of because they are considered to be people who
their province on a case-by-case basis. have and promote basic freedoms. However, the
Furthermore, in some provinces, the rights of Royal Thai Government does not recognize this
cross-border labourers are even more limited. For standard or international principle and forces
example, there are announcements by governors such people into refugee camps specifically set
of some provinces imposing a curfew on them up for them.
after 20.00 hrs. These announcements are made
without any legal basis, often resulting in Mr. Homla-or believes that the legal,
cross-border labourers being forced to work in administrative, and judicial arms of the
conditions that are below the minimum labour government should adjust the country’s laws and
standards, or to become forced labourers. regulations in line with international laws and
Mr. Homla-or states: “This is just taking advantage standards. At present, the Royal Thai Government
of people, as the Thai economy is in need of is a signatory state of seven human rights
labourers due to a lack of Thai labourers, and the conventions, the latest of which relates to the
fact that Thai labourers prefer not to do rights of the disabled applying to all people,
dangerous or dirty jobs. However, at the same regardless of nationality.
time, we do not recognize the rights of these
people, including their right of movement.” He asserts, “Thailand is host to the largest United
Nations Regional Centre in the world, so the
Mr. Homla-or is of the view that in any civilized United Nations should not be afraid of the Thai
country, asylum seekers are usually entitled to Government to act in accordance with bilateral
travel within and even, in some exceptional cases, agreements. Thailand should have a judicial
outside the country. Many countries also consider system that provides justice and protects its
that asylum seekers are generally people with people based on its international obligations. It is
different political views from the authorities in only when this has been achieved that judicial
their own countries. Asylum seekers in some reform can be realized”.

62 Dignity and Justice for All of Us