Who is responsible for these stateless people?
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has asked Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia to stop turning boats away, placing responsibility on those countries to provide a "humane reception".
As the refugees are in their territorial waters, NGOs have argued the region has a moral imperative to act.
The Philippines, which has a history of hosting refugees from Asian countries, has indicated a willingness to accept the asylum seekers without offering any firm guarantees.