The boat people were the refugees from Southeast Asia seeking to escape political persecution.
After the end of the Vietnam war in 1975, the refugees who fled away from Vietnam by boat and ship are known as the Vietnamese boat people. Their first destination was Southeast Asian countries. To take refuge in such countries, the people were to undergo many hardships. As they traveled in small boat and ship they became prey to the pirates, suffered dehydration and starving and many died because of the drowning.