Executive Summary

Aung San Suu Kyi once famously said, "We must hope for the best, but prepare for the worst". As this report is being written the first elected government for 20 years is being formed in Burma following the November General Election. The convening of parliament, new and more complex political structures plus the freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi herself, all offer hope of reconciliation and change; of a more constructive relationship with the international community, increasing humanitarian space and resolution of decades of conflict. For the troubled

The UN refugee agency is concerned over the circumstances of the return of some 166 Myanmar nationals seeking temporary protection from Thailand on 25 December, urging the Royal Thai government to adhere to the internationally accepted principle of non-refoulement (which prohibits returns to a situation of danger).

On Christmas Day, the Thai authorities asked the group of recently displaced from Myanmar to return to their villages from the Wa Lay temporary site, located at the Pob Phra District in Tak Province.

The group which included 50 women and

This report covers the period 1 July to 31 December 2010

In brief

Programme purpose: To coordinate support to host national societies as they scale up their humanitarian work in line with Strategy 2020.

Programme summary: The Southeast Asia secretariat team based in Bangkok:

- Supports and guides country office teams in Cambodia/Lao PDR, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Timor-Leste, Thailand, and Viet Nam;

- Provides requested technical support to the above countries as well as national societies with no secretariat

BANGKOK, 23 December 2010 (NNT) - The Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister has announced that the first portion of compensation money, worth over 2 billion baht, will be handed to flood-affected farmers by the end of this week.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Teera Wongsamut disclosed that 89,801 farmers troubled by the recent flood would receive their compensation within this week, saying all branches of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) were fully prepared to disburse the funds of over 2 billion baht in total. He added

Highlights

- The FAO Food Price Index continued to rise in November.

- International prices of wheat and rice increased significantly in November and early December. Prices of maize remained firm.

- In Asia, prices of rice further strengthened in the past month while prices of wheat remained high.

- In Africa, prices of cereals are declining or stable and at low levels in all sub-regions.

- In Central America, prices of beans are at record levels. Prices of maize that had seasonally declined remained generally stable.

- In South America, prices of wheat flour

Friday, 10 December 2010 18:32 Mizzima News

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - On the heels of the largest influx of Burmese refugees to Thailand in a decade, assistance organisations are calling for a global response in ensuring a holistic system of aid is in place for those displaced.

The Forum of Burma's Community-Based Organisations (FCOB), a consortium of more than 20 like-minded assistance groups based along the Thai-Burmese border, has written to supporters to pressure governments and aid organisations to work together in designing

Executive summary

This research, conducted in Haiti, Kenya and Thailand, was commissioned by the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP), and sought to capture the views of beneficiaries of humanitarian assistance on the effectiveness of measures put in place to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) by humanitarian workers. This study is a follow up to similar research, also on behalf of HAP, conducted by Lattu in 20081. It examines whether organisations have worked effectively on PSEA measures in the intervening three years, such that beneficiaries now

An Australian senator says sporadic violence is continuing in eastern Burma, near the Thai border, and says villagers are still fleeing into Thailand in their hundreds and sometimes thousands. But they are often being pushed back into areas of fighting by Thai soldiers and are forced to flee again days later. The Australian Greens Party senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, has raised the alarm after visiting the town of Mae Sot, a key crossing point for Burmese fleeing their country. International attention shifted to the town when fighting in eastern Burma after the

Each Of The 25 Kits, Which Contains Tools And Basic Materials, Serves 10 Families

PATTHALUNG, 3rd December 2010: Habitat for Humanity Thailand recently handed over shelter repair kits to 250 families affected by severe flooding in the south of the country.

In Kaonangkum sub-district, Pakpayoon district, Pattalung, families affected by severe flooding benefitted from HFH Thailand's distribution of shelter repair kits.

Each of the 25 kits distributed, which contained tools and basic materials, benefits 10 families.

HFH Thailand staff members are providing