BANGKOK: Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on Friday (Jan 17) denied reports about plans by the government to deport Uyghurs to China.
Reacting to a post on Facebook by Fair Party party-list MP Kanawee Suebsaeng that the issue of deporting Uyghurs would be discussed at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Friday, Phumtham asked how Kanavee knew this topic would be on the agenda.
However, he clarified that this matter arose due to recent expressions of concern by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The issue was mentioned during the meeting, but it was emphasised that relevant legal frameworks must be reviewed to ensure any actions comply with the law, avoiding problems for Thailand and the international community.
Officials were tasked with examining appropriate measures if such a situation were to occur.
Phumtham, who also serves as deputy prime minister, clarified that there had been deportation of Uyghurs from Thailand in the past.
He said there were also no immediate plans to deport them, denying reports that claimed the deportation to China was scheduled for Monday (Jan 20).
Meanwhile, reporters were surprised to see a vehicle from the Office of the Attorney-General arriving to transport prosecutors from the National Security Council (NSC) building.
It is unusual for the Office of the Attorney-General to participate in such meetings.
The current case involves 48 Uyghur refugees being held in an immigration detention centre in the Sathorn district of Bangkok.
The campaign “Save Uyghurs”, organised by Justice For All, issued a statement on January 10 urging the Thai government to immediately halt plans to deport the Uyghur asylum-seekers back to China.
The statement warned that such a decision would endanger their lives and violate international human rights standards.
Justice For All claimed to have received recent reports from Uyghurs detained at the Thai immigration centre in Bangkok that accused Thai authorities of pressuring the detainees to fill out forms for deportation purposes.
The action, initially presented as voluntary, reportedly began on Jan 8, and escalated on Jan 9, prompting the detainees to go on a hunger strike.
In 2015, Thailand had deported hundreds of Uyghurs to Turkey and China, facing criticism from both sides.
The backlash has since left the Thai government hesitant to make any decisive moves regarding Uyghur refugees for nearly a decade.
The remaining group of 48 Uyghur refugees is part of around 300 Uyghurs who fled China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in 2013.
They have been detained by Thai authorities ever since. - The Nation/ANN
