望后石越南難民中心

1988 to 20,000

Open Camp

6000 Refugees 

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Pillar Point is known as the last refugee camp to be closed in Hong Kong. (2000) It was proposed in 1987/8 for Vietnamese who were recognised as refugees, who were awaiting resettlement.[i] Pillar Point was set up as an open camp, with the anticipation that the Vietnamese would provide much-needed labour force in the Tuen Mun New Town. There were also buses connecting Pillar Point to the urban area. When the camp was constructed, the area was very remote and was only known as “Tuen Mun Area 46A.” The site was expanded in 1988 to release the sites in Shum Shui Po and Kai Tak. At that time, the Screening Policy was already in place. Therefore, a small part of the camp was planned as a closed camp to differentiate the refugees and “economic migrants.” However, as the number of asylum seekers arrived in Hong Kong was lower than expected in the 1990s, Pillar Point was mostly used as an open camp for refugees. There were evidence that the Hong Kong government had explored different options for the camp buildings, including ordering pre-fabricated structures from Australia. The camp structures have been demolished. Currently the site is being incorporated as part of the Tuen Mun Chek Lap Kok Tunnel Road construction site.

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