The Border Consortium (TBC): Assistance to Conflict-Affected People in Thailand

The Border Consortium (TBC) is a consortium of nine international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) from nine countries working to provide food, shelter, and capacity building support to Burmese displaced people in Thailand. TBC also engages in research into the root causes of displacement and refugee outflows. TBC’s head office is in Bangkok, with field offices in the border towns of Mae Hong Son, Mae Sot, and Umphang; a workstation for field staff in Kanchanaburi, and a research sub-office in Chiang Mai. TBC works in cooperation with the Royal Thai Government (RTG) and in accordance with regulations of the Ministry of Interior (MOI). TBC also has an office in Yangon, with two field offices in Loikaw and Hpa-an in Southeast Burma/Myanmar. Its application for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is being processed with the Ministry of Border Affairs, the Government of the Union of Myanmar (GoUM). In Thailand, TBC is the chair of the Committee for Coordination of Services to Displaced Persons in Thailand (CCSDPT), committed to the coordination of all humanitarian services and protection activities with the other non-governmental organisation (NGO) members and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). TBC programmes are implemented through partnerships with the Refugee Committees, community-based organisations (CBOs), and other relevant local groups.