Almost 4,800 Myanmar nationals are taking shelter in border districts in Mae Hong Son as fighting between the military and ethnic groups continues, according to local officials.
Clashes are reported along the Thai-Myanmar border opposite tambon Sao Hin of Mae Sariang district and tambon Mae Ngao of Khun Yuam district. The number of people taking refuge in four shelters in the two districts stands at 4,798.
Humanitarian assistance is being provided to the refugees through local officials and the Thai Red Cross Society with food, with water and other essential supplies being donated by residents of Mae Hong Son.
Authorities said the latest batch of donations arrived on Monday and the supplies will be distributed to the refugees at the four shelters, adding there are adequate supplies of food, water and clothing.
Local offices of the Thai Red Cross Society in the two districts are also calling for donations which can be dropped at the offices of Mae Sariang and Khun Yuam district everyday.
Chartchai Noisakul, founder of Saphan Boon Khru Nueng charity group, said the group plans to deliver essential supplies to the shelters every week until the situation is resolved.
Meanwhile, the Thai-Myanmar border administration centre has dispatched teams to build and manage sanitation systems at the four shelters and deployed security teams at the shelter areas.
Soldiers from the 36th mobile development under the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters have been assigned to dig wells and build garbage dump sites while volunteers from the non-government sector work on the water system.
Security checkpoints have also been set up and teams assigned to hold daily meetings to monitor and assess the situation.
