Angelina Jolie Visits With Refugees in Thailand

The actress and goodwill ambassador calls on Thai government to give those in refugee camps greater freedom

By Peter Gicas Feb 05, 2009 4:45 PMTags
Angelina JolieFAME Pictures

Angelina Jolie traded the glitz and glamour of awards season for a visit to Thailand Wednesday.

As goodwill ambassador to the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, Angie was there to appeal to the country's government to provide Myanmar (Burma) refugees living in confined camps more freedom.

"I was saddened to meet a 21-year-old woman who was born in a refugee camp, who has never even been out of the camp and is now raising her own child in a camp," Jolie said in a statement via the UNHCR after visiting Ban Mai Nai Soi camp, home to more than 18,000 refugees.

While there, Jolie sat with several other refugees—including a woman who has applied for resettlement to the U.S. and two teenage girls whose parents sent them to the refugee camp for an education but are fearful they may have to return to Myanmar once their schooling is completed.

"I hope we can work with the Thai authorities to speed up the government admissions process and that you will not be forced to go back to Burma if danger remains," said Jolie. 

The actress and her beau, Brad Pitt, are expected back in Tinseltown later this month to attend the Oscars, taking place Feb. 22.

Latest News