When I return to Mae Sot Thailand to continue work on "Families of the Dump" and to start work on "Forgotten Laughter" I plan on staying in the area for around 30 days. If I do stay that long I will need other subjects to photograph. I have been researching a refugee camp called Mae La which is around 40 minutes to an 1 hour North of Mae Sot. This camp has been around for decades since 1984. I could travel there once or twice a week make donations and photographs. Who knows maybe even teach some English like I did in Cambodia a couple of times. I could make photos there for a Mae La stand alone project and also for "Forgotten Laughter".
Wikipedia Link To Mae La Refugee Camp
The trick is to get access to the camp, am researching how difficult that might be. I know that Rot Song Tao's (Thai truck-bus transport) go North past the camp. I can speak enough Thai to get there, and when in the camps both the Thai and bits of Burmese I know should allow me to make friends with my subjects (they will not be native Burmans but should know some Burmese). The problem with these places is not the people your photographing but the authorities. The police/military at the gate might not allow me to pass. Plus all the NGO folks and self righteous missionary types who do not want you in their territory, or who assume the worst in your intentions. Many times when I visit remote places the only other white person around all of a sudden comes up to you and starts INTERROGATING you, asking why your there, filled with suspicion and mistrust. The locals welcome you but the foreigners don't, sort of a weird dynamic. The refugees I know will be great people to be around, to make friends with, to do photos of and to help. The other types are the ones I worry about.
Update* Just got an update from a new friend online who has photographed in the camps. I guess access is difficult, and that if you are not part of an NGO you probably cannot get in. The gates are guarded, if you do sneak in or bribe your way in there is a chance of being arrested.
I wonder if I could do something like shoot from the road that runs parallel to the camp? Do portraits of the people on the other side of the barbed wire fencing or have them come out to the roadway on their own. This way technically I would be on a public roadway when making the photos not inside the prohibited camp. Not sure that distinction will work that well for those folks carrying the guns thou! From what I have been told the government wants to keep down the publicity regarding these refugee camps. If I go in or near there stirring the pot, I could face detainment or even an arrest.
Wikipedia Link To Mae La Refugee Camp
The trick is to get access to the camp, am researching how difficult that might be. I know that Rot Song Tao's (Thai truck-bus transport) go North past the camp. I can speak enough Thai to get there, and when in the camps both the Thai and bits of Burmese I know should allow me to make friends with my subjects (they will not be native Burmans but should know some Burmese). The problem with these places is not the people your photographing but the authorities. The police/military at the gate might not allow me to pass. Plus all the NGO folks and self righteous missionary types who do not want you in their territory, or who assume the worst in your intentions. Many times when I visit remote places the only other white person around all of a sudden comes up to you and starts INTERROGATING you, asking why your there, filled with suspicion and mistrust. The locals welcome you but the foreigners don't, sort of a weird dynamic. The refugees I know will be great people to be around, to make friends with, to do photos of and to help. The other types are the ones I worry about.
Update* Just got an update from a new friend online who has photographed in the camps. I guess access is difficult, and that if you are not part of an NGO you probably cannot get in. The gates are guarded, if you do sneak in or bribe your way in there is a chance of being arrested.
I wonder if I could do something like shoot from the road that runs parallel to the camp? Do portraits of the people on the other side of the barbed wire fencing or have them come out to the roadway on their own. This way technically I would be on a public roadway when making the photos not inside the prohibited camp. Not sure that distinction will work that well for those folks carrying the guns thou! From what I have been told the government wants to keep down the publicity regarding these refugee camps. If I go in or near there stirring the pot, I could face detainment or even an arrest.
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| Mae La Refugee Camp, Thailand |
