Rations are to be halved in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border this year because of paucity of funds from international donors.

Shelly Thomson, in charge of the Thai-Burma Border Consortium, said it has been decided to reduce rations in refugee camps because the organization has not obtained the amount of funds that it used to.

There is problem in procuring rice. If the Consortium does not receive more funds the rations being provided to inmates would have to be halved.

Already the number mosquito nets, blankets and the amount of construction material have been cut this year because of fund shortage, she said.

"We have not obtained rations fully. There will be reduced rations which will have to be spread over almost two months. With the refugees unemployed it is difficult to manage in the long run. Permission is not granted to go out and work," said a committee member in Mae Hla camp near Mae Sot city.

An official letter has been circulated in the camp which lists the materials that will be reduced.

The problem is that Thailand's policy does not allow refugees in camps to work in the country. In the camp, refugees are facing increasing suffering. There is severe malnutrition prevailing in the camps, especially among children and pregnant women, mothers who breast feed babies and old people. The health situation of inmates will get worse by the day," Shelly Thomson said.

Refugees are arrested if they go outside the camp and work. They are jailed and can be deported to Burma.

There are nine refugees camp along the Thai-Burma border. Over 140,000 refugees live in the camps.