Countries urged to accept detainees
Bangkok Post, 29 Mar 2025
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A panel discussion this week called on various countries to demonstrate their commitment to accepting the five remaining Uyghur detainees from China held in Klongprem Central Prison in Bangkok.
Wednesday's discussion at the Thailand Foreign Correspondents' Club centred on the government's recent actions, including the deportation of 40 Uyghurs on Feb 27 and a delegation's visit to Xinjiang, China, to check on the condition of the deportees.
Speakers highlighted the case of the remaining five Uyghurs, who were sentenced to six years in prison for escaping a detention centre in Mukdahan in 2020. Their fate is uncertain.
Chalida Tajaroensuk, chairperson of the People's Empowerment Foundation, said they still have three years left on their sentences. However, they fear being deported to China amid serious threats to their safety.
"Their primary concern is being sent back to China," Ms Chalida said. "They have already expressed significant distress and fear of returning, with one of the Uyghurs hospitalised due to the psychological toll."
She said one had developed depression, insomnia, and a lack of appetite, attributing these symptoms to the fear of repatriation.
Ms Chalida also highlighted a troubling incident in which the five Uyghurs were excluded from attending Iftar, a traditional meal during Ramadan, when Justice Minister Pol Col Tawee Sodsong and House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha visited the prison on March 23. This was reportedly done for security reasons.
When asked about the possibility of other countries offering asylum to the five Uyghurs, Ms Chalida said no country has yet agreed to take them.
However, she pointed out that even if a third country expresses willingness to accept them, the final decision will rest with the Thai government.
"We must lobby recipient countries to show a firm commitment to receiving them," she said. "But the Thai government's stance is crucial in the process, as they may still be swayed by China's influence."
Sunai Phasuk, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, raised similar concerns.
He recounted a meeting with government officials before the deportation of the 40 Uyghurs, where they acknowledged that some countries were willing to accept them but refrained due to fear of damaging relations with China.
Mr Sunai warned the same fate could await the remaining five, as Thai authorities have repeatedly denied them access to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and foreign embassies. This lack of access prevents the detainees from being classified as "people of concern", hindering their ability to seek refuge in another country. He said the government could shorten their sentences for good behaviour or special events, expediting their deportation to China.
"If anyone is to blame, it is the Thai government, which has effectively locked these Uyghurs away and is waiting for their time in prison to expire before sending them back to China," he said.
