Regional News
Royal Thai Police’s Immigration Bureau Discuss Crimes, Extradition Issues with Foreign Diplomats
BANGKOK – The Royal Thai Police’s Immigration Bureau held the first “Coffee Talk” meeting on Friday with foreign diplomats and international organizations’ representatives to discuss crime prevention and handling extradition requests.
Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Surachet Hakpan said his force aimed at enhance it coordination with international community and hoped to create contacts for exchanging information between the law enforcement agency and foreign missions in Thailand.
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Such coordination could be extended into facilitating extradition of foreigners wanted by their home countries even without bilateral extradition agreement, he said.
Pol Lt-General Surachet also updated on the fate Hakeem al-Araibi, a Bahraini asylum seeker granted permanent residency in Australia, who has been detained by Thai authorities last month on Interpol red notice.
He said the semi-professional footballer was due in court next week for an extradition requested by Bahrain.
The Australian government has been in talks with Thai authorities appealing for his safe return to Australia.
Al-Araibi has been detained in Thailand since November while trying to go on vacation.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne who has paid a visit to Thailand called on Thailand not to send al-Araibi back to Bahrain and coordinated the case of Saudi teenager Rahaf Mohammed Al-Qunun who has fled her family and sought asylum in Australia but has now been granted asylum in Canada.
By Geoff Thomas