Urban asylum seekers and refugees in Bangkok: A case study on the Somali community

Thailand is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. Not only does Thailand not accord any legal status that derives from international law to refugees: under Thai law they are considered illegal immigrants. The aim of the thesis is to consider how and to what extent this factor impacts the livelihood of people who are considered asylum seekers and refugees under international law, by focusing on the situation of the Somali community in Bangkok. Even when they possess a UNHCR certification confirming their refugee status, urban refugees in Thailand are constantly at risk of being arrested and detained in Immigration Detention Centers. They live a difficult life and depend on external assistance. They are constantly at risk of exploitation, subjected to financial stress and unable to access social services for themselves and their children. As a case study, the thesis focuses on the Somali community because it represents one of the largest and most vulnerable urban refugee communities in Bangkok. Many refugees were not aware of how difficult their condition would be in Thailand before arriving in the city. The thesis, through the use of interviews with members of the Somali community in Bangkok, provides an in-depth analysis of the daily problems and challenges faced by Somali urban asylum seekers and refugees.;Keywords: Asylum seekers; Refugees; Somali; Bangkok; Human Rights.