The Umpiem Camp is one of many refugee camps in Thailand along the Myanmar (Burmese) border, 87 Kms from Mai Sot. Most of the 20,000 population of this camp are of the Karen minority and have fled Myanmar for the safer confines of the camp.  There is both electricity, mobile phone and internet service available within the Camp.

I visited the camp in February 2009. It was a long 8 hour bumpy car ride from Bangkok to Maesot and another 1.5 hour drive over the mountains the next morning to the Camp. Within the camp people felt safe and there was trading to make money in order to purchase food and blankets. 

went to the camp to meet with a friend of my son's, who put herself into the camp along with her daughter for safety since she was born in Burma and Burmese cannot travel freely within Thailand.