Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed confidence today that the 40 Uyghurs who were sent back to China will remain safe. She stated that the Thai government would continue to monitor their living conditions after their return.
She emphasized that the group voluntarily chose to return to China and that Thailand had adhered to human rights principles and international standards. She also noted that no other country had agreed to accept them for resettlement.
The prime minister shared that assurances were given by the Chinese government, promising that the returnees would not face prosecution and would be reunited with their families. During her recent visit to China, she discussed the situation of the Uyghurs detained in Thailand with Chinese officials and received confirmation that their safety would be ensured.
Paetongtarn referred to images showing the Uyghurs reunited with their families, expressing happiness to see them together again. She insisted that Thailand would never send anyone back to a situation where they might face persecution or harm.
She also dismissed rumours of a secret trade agreement with China tied to the repatriation of the Uyghurs, calling such claims baseless.
MP refutes PM’s claim Uyghurs returned to China of their own free will
However, opposition MP Kannavee Suebsang from the Fair Party challenged the prime minister’s statements, arguing that the Uyghurs did not return voluntarily. He presented three letters, allegedly written by Uyghurs, which expressed their strong desire not to be sent back to China.
The first letter, written by 48 Uyghurs held in a Bangkok detention centre, was addressed to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, asking for help in securing asylum. Kannavee claimed this letter never reached the UNHCR.
The second letter, directed to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, detailed the harsh conditions the detainees endured during their decade-long detention in Thailand. It asked for her help to relocate them to a country where they could live safely with their families. The authors appealed to her as a mother, hoping she would empathize with their plight.
The third letter, written earlier this year, contained a desperate plea: “Please don’t send us back to China,” with “SOS” written at the top.
Kannavee argued these letters clearly showed the Uyghurs’ unwillingness to return to China, contradicting government claims. He criticized the Thai government for speaking on the Uyghurs’ behalf instead of letting them express their wishes directly. He also doubted the government’s promise to monitor their well-being after deportation.
Human rights activist Sunai Phasuk from Human Rights Watch echoed this criticism, stating the deportation should be called forced repatriation. He questioned the Thai government’s transparency, pointing to the use of black tape on vans transporting the Uyghurs and the late-night timing of the operation as evidence of secrecy.
Sunai warned that Thailand should not rely on China’s unofficial promises, citing past cases where repatriated Uyghurs faced human rights abuses. He also raised concerns about potential prosecution of those who had fled China.
The international community, including the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, has condemned Thailand’s actions. Critics have long accused China of severe human rights violations against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, including arbitrary detentions, forced labour, and political indoctrination in so-called “re-education centres.” China has repeatedly denied these allegations.
Critics are urging Thailand to stop such actions and prioritize human rights over political pressure from China. The situation has sparked fresh debates about protecting vulnerable minorities in global geopolitics.
