By Center on Gender and Forced Displacement (CGFD)
6 February 2026 – The Center on Gender and Forced Displacement (CGFD) at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), in partnership with the Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD), Chiang Mai University, convened a full day policy dialogue titled “Protection Frameworks and Displacement: Policy Dialogues for a Changing Region” at the Ambassador Hotel Bangkok. The dialogue was supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to strengthen evidence-based research for practical policymaking.
Bringing together representatives from government agencies, international organizations, academia, and civil society, the forum was designed as a policy-facing platform to consolidate evidence, identify implementation bottlenecks, and translate discussion into actionable steps. Speakers at the opening session emphasised that displacement-related protection requires cross-institutional responsibility and that “evidence has to be translated into implementable choices”.
Opening the programme, Zongkholod Khawjang of the Operation Centre for Displaced Persons under Thailand’s Ministry of Interior characterised forced displacement as a structural, cross-sector policy issue, calling for coherent administrative design and safeguards. Reflecting on Thailand’s evolving approach to protection and lawful work pathways, she noted: “When refugees are allowed to work, they do not become a burden but help the labor market.”
The programme then moved into three moderated panels progressing from institutional design to labour governance and on-the-ground practice.
The panel on “Governing Displacement in Thailand: Policy Shifts Toward Myanmar Nationals” examined institutional space and administrative access as gateways to services, including registration and identity documentation, and the governance implications of data systems. Moderated by Professor Amena Mohsin, the panel featured Dr. Sirada Khemanitthathai (Chiang Mai University), Mr. Zongkholod Khawjang (Ministry of Interior, Thailand), Dr. Naruemon Thabchumpon (Chulalongkorn University) and Ms. Nayana Thanawattho (Asylum Access, Thailand).
A keynote session, delivered by Angkhana Neelapaijit and chaired by Prof. Mokbul Morshed Ahmad, underscored dignity and equality as foundational principles of protection policy. She cautioned against exclusionary narratives, stating, “Refugees are not a threat to the ASEAN community; they are people from the same region.”
The Panel, “Labour and Protection: ASEAN’s Regional Interface,” shifted the focus to durable policy design, highlighting labour rights, social protection, and inter-institutional coordination across countries.
Moderated by Prof. Paula Banerjee (CGFD, AIT), the session featured Guest of Honour Ms. Lilianne Fan (Co-Founder, Malaysian Advisory Group on Myanmar), Ms. Marja Paavilainen (International Labour Organization), Ms. Jacqueline Strecker (UNHCR) and Mr. Dicky Pamungkas (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia).
The panel, “Protection as Practice: Evidence, Voice, and Mediation,” focused on implementation realities, including ethical and security constraints affecting research and service delivery in high-risk contexts. Moderated by Dr Priya Singh (CGFD, AIT), the panel brought together Mr. Sanjay Gathia (Asia Center), Mr. Suprit Basnyat (AIT), Yee Mon Oo Kyaw (Chiang Mai University), Ei Nandar Khin (Chiang Mai University) and Dr. Andrew Wai Phyo Kyaw (Chiang Mai University).
The event concluded with a book release and closing reflections featuring “Migrant Asia: Migrants in the Making of Asia,” edited by Priya Singh, Lydia Potts, and Paula Banerjee, and released by Dr Shuchi Karim (IDRC).
Across sessions, participants identified several concrete outputs, including a policy-facing note with clear recommendations, an Action Matrix assigning responsibilities and timelines, a technical brief on registration and ID design with governance safeguards, a harmonised SOP note, a sequenced follow-up plan, and a research safety and confidentiality note to support responsible evidence generation.
CGFD-AIT and RCSD will consolidate these outcomes into structured deliverables and continue engagement with partners to advance feasible, rights-respecting protection frameworks across the region.
Edited by: Office of Communications and Public Affairs
