Thai Prime Minister For The Return Of Uighurs To China

UNSPLASH/Kuzzat Altay ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra defended Bangkok's decision to return 40 Uighurs to China after they were detained in Thailand for 11 years.

Shinawatra, as quoted from Thailand's TNA News agency, said he had personally discussed the matter with several Chinese leaders, including China's Security Minister who provided security guarantees.

China has officially guaranteed that the refugees returned will not face prosecution and can safely rejoin their families.

Reported by ANTARA from TNA-OANA, Saturday, March 1, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Uighurs entered Thailand illegally and that no third country asked to accept them during a long period of detention.

After China provided clear evidence that they were Chinese nationals, he said, Thailand was obliged to repatriate them and the measure did not violate international rules or human rights principles.

Shinawatra firmly denies the allegations that the repatriation is part of a trade exchange with China and insists that humans are not commodities.

Chinese authorities have given Thailand permission to monitor the welfare of repatriated refugees and Thailand's Minister of Justice plans to visit China in mid-March to check on their condition.

The Thai government kept the matter a secret for security reasons and Shinawatra stressed he wanted to ensure the process went smoothly without problems.

Photographs showing Uighurs reunite with their families have been released, which he calls proof of positive results.

Responding to international criticism, especially from the United States and Europe, Shinawatra said Thailand would provide the latest information to countries that care about the matter.

He expressed confidence in China's commitment to treat refugees well and said Thailand would not make decisions without such guarantees.