This Mémoire argues that throughout the Cambodian refugee crisis there has existed a tangled web of humanitarian and political concerns. The author begins with a brief chronology sketching the movements of Cambodians, especially into Thailand, and the appearance of international actors in the crisis. The first part of the study focuses on the political factors which affected how certain agents responded to the crisis. Special attention is given to Thailand, ASEAN and the United States. The latter two are examined in terms of how they influenced or were influenced by the Thai response to the Cambodian influx. The author argues that no country in South East Asia feels the burden from refugees as does Thailand, and he describes in detail the Thai reaction to various influxes from Cambodia. The second part of the study examines how humanitarian organizations are able to function in a highly politicized atmosphere, i.e. how aid organizations such as UNHCR and the ICRC can maintain their principles in often compromising situations. In looking at the activities of UNHCR and ICRC in this crisis, the author raises the issue of whether a purely humanitarian ethic is possible in a heavily politicized context. An extensive bibliography accompanies the text.