Noh Poe
Encyclopedia
Noh Poe or Nu Po is a refugee camp
of approximately 14,000 people in the Amphoe Umphang
district of Tak Province
in Thailand
. Located near the Thai border with the Karen state in Burma, it was set up in 1997 to accommodate Karen
refugees fleeing fighting between the Burmese and the Karen National Union
(KNU) forces. There is a school located in Noh Poe which is significantly cheaper than comparable schools in Burma, and many Karen students go there to complete their education as a result. Refugees cannot leave the camp without the permission of the local Thai government, and chain fences surround the camp to keep people from leaving.
In 2009, a major battle occurred just across the Burmese border in Kawkareik
, between the KNU and the combined forces of the Burmese and Democratic Karen Buddhist
armies. People in Noh Poe were prepared to flee if the DKBA forces attacked, but no fighting occurred there.
Refugee camp
A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees. Hundreds of thousands of people may live in any one single camp. Usually they are built and run by a government, the United Nations, or international organizations, or NGOs.Refugee camps are generally set up in an impromptu...
of approximately 14,000 people in the Amphoe Umphang
Amphoe Umphang
Umphang is the southernmost district of Tak Province, Thailand at the Thai-Myanmar border. It is also the name of the town center of the district....
district of Tak Province
Tak Province
Tak is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani and Kanchanaburi...
in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Located near the Thai border with the Karen state in Burma, it was set up in 1997 to accommodate Karen
Karen people
The Karen or Kayin people , are a Sino-Tibetan language speaking ethnic group which resides primarily in southern and southeastern Burma . The Karen make up approximately 7 percent of the total Burmese population of approximately 50 million people...
refugees fleeing fighting between the Burmese and the Karen National Union
Karen National Union
The Karen National Union is a political organisation with an armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army that represents the Karen people of Burma. It operates in Eastern Burma, and has underground networks in other areas of Burma where Karen people live. In Karen, this Karen area is called...
(KNU) forces. There is a school located in Noh Poe which is significantly cheaper than comparable schools in Burma, and many Karen students go there to complete their education as a result. Refugees cannot leave the camp without the permission of the local Thai government, and chain fences surround the camp to keep people from leaving.
In 2009, a major battle occurred just across the Burmese border in Kawkareik
Kawkareik
Kawkareik is a town in the Kayin State of south Burma. It is the capital of Kawkareik District. The Kawkareik Pass across the Tenasserim Hills is named after this town....
, between the KNU and the combined forces of the Burmese and Democratic Karen Buddhist
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army
The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army is a breakaway group of Buddhist former soldiers and officers of the Karen National Liberation Army , one of the larger insurgent armies in Burma...
armies. People in Noh Poe were prepared to flee if the DKBA forces attacked, but no fighting occurred there.