Sovereignty, rights ignored in airport debacle [Editorial]

[HalfLight]

2 hours ago, Lungstib said:

It appears that the Thai authorities only showed a willingness to meet the obligations it has signed up to when the story made international headlines. While there was no media attention they allowed foreign officials to apprehend someone not even officially in this country and both Prawit and Surachate were happy to see her returned to Saudi. Only when the news spread around the world did they discover the necessity to apply the correct international standards. They really are doing their best to drag Thailand as a country down to their own personal level of intolerance and respect for international laws.

 

Indeed. How many times has Thailand deported people officially under the protection of the UN?

 

Mainly to China of course... mustn't forget the usefulness of brown-nosing...

 

 

 

Edited January 8, 2019 by HalfLight

[Srikcir]

57 minutes ago, Emdog said:

USA snatched folks in transit to send to black sites (as in Thailand) to be tortured under Bush 2.

Not that I agree with such actions, it's called "black ops" meaning out of the public eye and knowledge.

And the Thai government allowed such actions. There was no violation of Thai sovereignty, albeit in violation of US laws.

 

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Saudi and Kuwaiti officials seized her

Who needs extradition treaties with Thailand?

Just send a country's government officials and seize their citizens within Thailand.

I thought Prayut et al Military primary mission is to protect the sovereignty of the Kingdom. They failed.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs failed.

Immigration failed.

The Royal Thai Police failed.

Now that's what I called the new UNITY.

 

 

[Ochomo]

3 hours ago, lujanit said:

How did these Saudi embassy persons get access to the airside of the airport without going legally through immigration?  There had to be collusion by corrupt immigration officers.  I wouldn't be surprised if money was exchanged.

 

This is a serious example with major international repercussions of what is wrong in this country.

 

Saudi Arabia treats its dogs better than its women.

Diplomats, by nature of their work - such as receiving foreign VIPS etc, are legitimately given passes which allow them to access restricted areas without going through immigration. No need to exchange money.

[Oziex1]

2 hours ago, KiChakayan said:

Even BJ knows that Saudi Arabia is the mother of all brown envelopes factories.

As a side note to this issue, the blue diamond theft has been mentioned a few times. I findit somewhat ironic and pleasing that in it's petty dishonesty Thailand has slammed the door on tapping into that large if not grotesque cash cow that SA is to other countries.

[IAMHERE]

Got to guess there is a reason she didn't try to defect thru Turkey. Does Thailand owe Turkey/Saudi Arabia a favor of some sort ?

[jackdd]

3 hours ago, lujanit said:

How did these Saudi embassy persons get access to the airside of the airport without going legally through immigration?  There had to be collusion by corrupt immigration officers.  I wouldn't be surprised if money was exchanged.

If you buy a flight ticket you can probably also enter the transit area. If it's not possible with just a departing ticket they could just send somebody from another country to Bangkok, so there are no bribes needed, everybody can do it

Edited January 8, 2019 by jackdd

[Wallander4]

1-4 to India and now this case where Big Fool had to back down - what a massive loss of face for Thailand. Stay safe in Aus girl - don't stay too long here, its not safe for you

[Misterwhisper]

This girl not only had the courage to flee a society that regards its females as little more than cattle or household items, but she also had the laudable presence of mind to make her case known through Twitter and other social media, which went viral and luckily alerted the world's press and human rights organizations to her plight. Without that, she would be long gone, as Thailand would've licked Saudi boot, no doubt.

 

But Rahaf is not out of danger yet, because she is still in Thailand. The local authorities can at any time have an about-face (wouldn't be the first time) as soon as they think media attention has tapered out. Rahaf will only be safe once she has reached a third country and is granted asylum there. So, let's all keep up the pressure!

[bheard]

How did these Saudi embassy persons get access to the airside of the airport without going legally through immigration?  There had to be collusion by corrupt immigration officers.  I wouldn't be surprised if money was exchanged.
 
This is a serious example with major international repercussions of what is wrong in this country.
 
Saudi Arabia treats its dogs better than its women.

No surprises there for sure - definitely money changed hands. Followed by wai-ing.

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[PJPom]

My question is how has she got a visa for Australia?

To get a visa she would have had to apply and jump through all the hoops including interviews and signed clearance by Guardian before it would be granted.

Has she actually got a visa or was she going to apply on arrival after she was detained by Australian Border Protection and placed in detention.

[Lemonltr]

1 hour ago, IAMHERE said:

Got to guess there is a reason she didn't try to defect thru Turkey. Does Thailand owe Turkey/Saudi Arabia a favor of some sort ?

She's an Apostate. Renouncing Islam is punishable by death according to tha Koran and Sharia law. Muslim countries would be very unsafe. She'd even be advised to take care in Australia. 

[pegman]

2 hours ago, Chippy151 said:

Only when the news spread around the world, did they discover the necessity to apply correct international standards.

That's the important bit.

Social media has changed how officials and governments act all over the world.

Not the Saudis it would appear. But it is nice to see Tweeter used for good for a change not just for evil (Trump) messaging. 

[marko kok prong]

After the debacles of the last year,Thailand again shoots itself in the foot,okay now they have backpeddled probably after the PM stepped in,still it cast the country in a very poor light,that after last year was the last thing needed.

[sawadee1947]

These facts were published yesterday already in main Press news. 

It's also a fact that Thailand is at least a third world country. 

Law is what the junta declares to be no matter it's right or wrong. 

Human rights are not respected. 

So for me it was not surprising how the junta acted. 

 

[billd766]

5 hours ago, darksidedog said:

It seems that international pressure has forced Big Joke and Co, to reassess the situation. Having said she will not be forcibly repatriated if it will lead to her death, which it probably would, one hopes she will be able to travel to, and claim asylum in Australia.

Questions will still remain though, in how Saudi and Kuwaiti officials were able to enter the security area of the airport? And who let them? The initial position taken by Thailand was deplorable, and again, I would like to know who did what to pressure them into allowing a passenger in transit to be summarily detained, with highly dubious authority.

The Saudi and Kuwaiti officials most probably have diplomatic immunity which is how they can get air side easily.

 

As an aside to the topic there has been a similar problem in Canada where a Chinese citizen was apprehended on behalf of the US government.

[zydeco]

5 hours ago, owl sees all said:

IMO. the 'world' is encouraging Saudi Arabia to be cavalier and brutal. 

 

The west, led by US and its knee bending pals, is gradually driving a wedge between the two main branches of Islam. Why? From the west's perspective, what is better than having one Muslim branch take out another (Saudi and friends v Iran and friends)! Save the 'righteous' countries from doing it. This would, in turn, hurt Russia and China and leave Israel to cherry-pick the pieces.

Utter silliness. The "wedge" as you call it, became existent 1400 years ago.

[Ulic]

Confusing reports. From she gave them her passport to "they forcibly took her passport". From no Australian visa or ticket and no money to, she had a visa/ticket to Australia and just wanted to spend a few days in Thailand. If all this correct, things should be no problem. Just board her scheduled flight to Australia. She has her Australian visa and can claim asylum when she gets there. 

[Megasin1]

This is the problem with BJ, he has gone from being an industrious arrestor of illegals to a publicity seeking self centred numpty. He scans a situation he doesn't truly understand then makes decisions and comments that are ill-informed and dangerous because they can have a truly damaging effect on individuals. It is time he was fitted with a muzzle and a set of reins. I would think that from her behaviour this girl was desperate, a sure sign that something is not right. The Saudis nicely reclaimed her passport with plausible deniability by sending in their Kuwait servants to do their bidding and fortunately social media kicked in with some good for a change and managed to bring the whole thing to the attention of the world. Thailand should never become her place of refuge as if this is assessed fairly she should be moved somewhere safer that has a proper legal system and police force. No matter where this girl ends up her chances of being assassinated once all the hype has died down is still high, however in some countries she will be afforded better protection just by the standard of law enforcement. If fleeing in fear of your life, Thailand is not high on the list of desirable refuges as at some point, at some level someone will dob you in for an instalment on their Mercedes.

[zzaa09]

5 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Are countries that finance wars in Yemen and sell billions worth of military weapons to these primitive, backward countries considered advanced and civilised?

Shhhh...

Needn't be reminded of the convenient truth that has been ongoing for ages. 

 

Easily modified with the usual apologetic blinders.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This kind of episode has happened before in Thailand, with asylum seekers in process being deported.... Hardly the Thai government's first rodeo on this:

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/07/thailand-china-uighur-refugees/398318/

 

 

Quote

 

Why Thailand Forced Uighurs to Return to China

In repatriating over 100 asylum-seeking Uighur Muslims, Thailand caved to pressure from Beijing.

Matt Schiavenza

Jul 12, 2015

 

 

 

[Nobbie49]

The other side of this unfortunate situation is that we may start to see Thai workers in Saudi Arabia losing their heads.

There are no Thai workers in SA, thank gawd, they were all kicked out after the gem scandal. By the same token Saudis are not allowed to go to Th unless they have personal approval of the Interior minister who, in my time over there, was prince Nayief (since removed), anither blessing in disguise. Talking ‘bout sh?thole countries. We used to say: if the world had an enema they stick the tube in Riyadh


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[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There also have been a couple of Chinese political dissident cases where they've been disappeared from Thailand. The news report below from 2016:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/22/chinese-rights-campaigner-li-xin-disappears-thailand

 

Quote

 

In October, a Hong Kong publisher, Gui Minhai, who wrote gossip books on China’s rulers, went missing in Thailand and reappeared last week tearfully “confessing” on Chinese state television to a hit-and-run crime.
 

Several officials from Thailand’s office of the prime minister have recently visited the Pattaya apartment owned by Gui to gather information on the days before he vanished, a source with knowledge of the visit said on condition of anonymity. While it was not clear what the officials did exactly, the move marks the first visit to the apartment from police or authorities, despite requests from Sweden, where he holds citizenship. Friends and family of Gui believe Chinese security agents abducted him and accuse Thai authorities of complicity or at least overlooking his alleged kidnapping.
 

In November, two Chinese men who were officially registered as refugees with the United Nations were arrested and repatriated by Thai authorities, infuriating the UN refugee agency.