Bangkok Remand Prison
Bangkok Post, 29 April 2025
The People's Empowerment Foundation has expressed serious concerns over the plight of seven Uyghur people who are currently in jail in Thailand.
Chalida Tajaroensuk, chairperson of the civil society group, told the Bangkok Post on Monday that the seven had been divided into two groups.
The first group, consisting of five Uyghurs, was arrested for allegedly escaping a detention centre in Mukdahan in 2020, she said.
The five are now serving six-year jail terms in the Klongprem Central Prison in Bangkok, she said.
Ms Chalida said she visited them in prison shortly before the recent Songkran holiday to check up on their well-being.
"They still insist that they do not want to be deported back to China," noting that she was told they have lawyers to defend their case.
Asked about the potential of a resettlement deal in a third country for these five Uyghurs, Ms Chalida said that her group has been speeding up efforts to contact various embassies before they are deported by the government in Thailand.
These five Uyghurs have only one year left in jail before they are deported to China, Ms Chalida said.
"Some embassies have already contacted us," she said. "They have asked for information about these five Uyghurs so a resettlement report can be sent back to their respective foreign affairs ministries for consideration."
Ms Chalida added that she is scheduled to visit these five Uyghurs again at the beginning of next month to inquire about their livelihoods and what kind of assistance and support they may need from her working group.
Meanwhile, she said the second group consists of two Uyghurs imprisoned at Bangkok Remand Prison while pending trial over their alleged involvement in the Erawan Shrine bombing in 2015. Their next hearing is scheduled to be held next month, she said.
She said that she was informed that judges overseeing the bombing case would like to wrap it up this year, but the suspects prefer the case stay open as they do not want to be deported to China.
As of now, no embassy in Thailand has contacted her group to ask for more information for their resettlement in a third country, as the two are suspected to be involved in a terrorist attack, Ms Chalida said.
"They said that staying in a Thai prison is much better than staying in China," Ms Chalida said. "They would like [the deliberation of this] case to be extended."
Kannavee Suebsang, a Fair List Party list-MP, told the Bangkok Post on Monday that he is closely watching the case of the five Uyghurs detained in Klongprem Central Prison.
Mr Kannavee said if they want to be resettled in a third country, he is ready to work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to help them.
Mr Kannavee, however, refused to comment on the Uyghurs who were arrested over the Erawan Shrine bombing, as this case is still being deliberated in court.
Out of 43 Uyghurs who had been detained at Suan Phlu Immigration Centre in Bangkok, 40 were deported to China. The last three held passports issued by Kyrgyzstan and were resettled in Canada.
