Mae Sot, Thailand – December 26, 2025 – As Myanmar prepares for a military-run national election on December 28, 2025, many young exiles see it as a “sham” and a “comedy show”, a symbolic attempt by the ruling junta to legitimize its power following the 2021 coup that toppled the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Ng La, a 28-year-old tattoo artist who fled Yangon, now lives undocumented in Mae Sot, a Thai border town hosting thousands of displaced Myanmar nationals. “The election is just like a comedy show,” he told Al Jazeera, explaining his lack of interest in the military’s polls.

Life in Exile

Ng La’s journey into exile began with protests against the coup in February 2021. After participating in demonstrations, he fled to the jungle to join the People’s Defence Force (PDF), a resistance group fighting the Myanmar military. Heavy clashes in early 2022 forced him to cross illegally into Thailand, where he set up a punk-themed tattoo parlour and bar.

“The biggest fear was being arrested and deported back into the hands of the Myanmar military,” Ng La said. He now lives under constant threat of harassment or deportation, struggling to earn a living while providing for his family.

Ng La’s experience reflects a broader exodus of young people from Myanmar. According to the United Nations, around 3.5 million people have been internally displaced by the ongoing conflict, and hundreds of thousands have fled to neighboring countries including Thailand, India, and Bangladesh.

Military Coup and Civil War

The Myanmar military coup in 2021 invalidated the results of the 2020 election, claiming fraud in the National League for Democracy (NLD) victory. The coup sparked a civil conflict that continues to ravage Myanmar, resulting in thousands of deaths, air strikes on civilians, forced conscription, and widespread political oppression.

Snow, a 33-year-old former teacher, also fled across the border after joining resistance groups. “The coup destroyed all our hopes and dreams,” she said. Like many exiles, Snow witnessed betrayal by ethnic armed groups allied with the PDF, which contributed to further losses in the fight against the military.

International Observers Denounce Election

Independent observers, including the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, have called the upcoming election a sham, citing political oppression, the detention of opposition leaders, and restrictions on freedoms. The NLD, which historically dominated elections, remains barred from participating.

Al Jazeera reporting indicates that arrests of prominent artists, journalists, and cultural figures have intensified ahead of the election, prompting further exiles like Ng La to leave the country. Rebel-controlled areas also declared they would not recognize the results.

Struggles and Hopes

Life in Mae Sot is challenging for Myanmar exiles. Many live undocumented, facing threats of deportation and limited access to healthcare, education, and employment. Yet, hope remains for those planning to seek refugee status or eventually return to Myanmar when the conflict ends.

Snow emphasized the goal of exiles: “What we are fighting for is to return home and to unite with our families. We will fight until we can rebuild Myanmar better and brighter.”

Ng La and other young Myanmar exiles embody a generation determined to resist military rule and preserve democratic aspirations, despite years of civil war, persecution, and displacement.