Nu Po

Location
Mae Chan Sub-district, Umphang District, Tak Province

Distance from Border
8 km in a straight line, 13 km by road to the border village of Perng Klerng

Distance from Mae Sot
232 km / approx. 5 hours driving time

 

 

 

 

Distance from Umphang
68 km / approx. 1½ hours driving time

Accessibility
Car: All-year-round access (public transport available)
Phone: No mobile phone coverage[H1] , although a landline was set up at the camp office (Oct 2010); public phone available at MoI office

Camp Geography
Area about 400 rai (64 ha)

Introduction and History

Nu Po camp has a population of some 9,000 people and was set up in 1997 to consolidate two former camps that originated five years earlier.

The population is some 82 percent ethnic Karen/Kayin and around 6 percent Burman. There is a significant Muslim community.

The camp operates with the efforts of a great number of camp residents and leaders, such as warehouse manager Naw Htoo Paw and sometime camp committee member Saw Gaw.

Currently, due to its isolated location, the camp whose name means “small lake” in the Karen/Kayin language, is off the mains electricity grid. The camp office, health, education and social service centres have access to power from electric generators.

Hydro-electricity is also widely generated, mainly to recharge vehicle batteries to power household lighting. Several privately-operated mobile phone and internet services are available.