High Commissioner Filippo Grandi is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and the National Security Council secretary-general Gen Thaweep Netniyom on March 28 before visiting a Myanmar refugee shelter in a northern province of Tak a day later.

“Thailand closely cooperates with the UNHCR in providing humanitarian assistance toward refugees in Indochina region (during 1970s) and voluntary settlements to the third country of Myanmar refugees and shelter-seeking people including the Rohingyas,” said the Foreign Ministry’s press release published on Wednesday.

While Thailand has remained neutral on the Rohingya issue, sticking to a non-interference policy on Myanmar domestic affairs, the country also has not had any law to recognise refugee status, leaving them legally vulnerable. Thailand is also not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention.

The country, however, provided nine shelters for refugees along its border with Myanmar together with the UNHCR, NGOs and civil societies. Around 100,000 refugees have been under such protection.

Thailand has communicated with Nay Pyi Taw for years to have repatriation of refugees on a voluntary basis when the situation in Myanmar has improved.

Last week, a Thai delegation noted in the UN rights review session in Geneva, that a resolution had been adopted on measures to address the legal status of 80,000 stateless people in Thailand.

In January, they said, the Cabinet set up a screening process to differentiate between economic migrants and those who want protection.