Journalist likely abducted by Vietnamese secret agents in Bangkok, friends say

[webfact]

Duong Van Thai

 

by leah

A journalist and blogger from Vietnam who fled to Thailand from political persecution in 2018 is believed to have been abducted from Bangkok last week by Vietnamese secret agents, friends say. Vietnamese authorities have confirmed that Duong Van Thai is now in their custody, according to Radio Free Asia.

Duong Van Thai, also known as Thai Van Duong, became uncontactable on Thursday, April 13 after leaving his rented home in Bangkok to pick up a friend from the airport. He went missing just hours after a meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), who recognised his status as a refugee, reports say.

Police in Ha Ting province in Vietnam reported on Sunday, April 16, that they found Duang Van Thai – born in 1982 – illegally entering Vietnam via a natural channel through Laos, which his friends believe is highly unlikely.

 

The 41 year old journalist fled to Thailand in 2018 in fear of being arrested in Vietnam for his many posts and videos posted on social media that criticised the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Since then, Duong has lived in Bangkok and applied for refugee status with the United Nations refugee agency in the city. Hours before going missing, the blogger completed an interview with UNHCR, a friend said.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/bangkok/journalist-likely-abducted-by-vietnamese-secret-agents-in-bangkok-friends-say

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-04-19

 

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[Karma80]

SE Asia. Where human rights and democracy go to die.

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He went missing just hours after a meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), who recognised his status as a refugee, reports say.

Someone knew his schedule

[John Drake]

I used to think Vietnam was an option to Thailand, for everything from retirement to Western investments. That's no longer the case. Every country in this region, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand seem indifferent to abducting or abductions. (And Vietnam is just playing the US with insincere and false indications of confronting China.) 

[thesetat]

Why are they saying it was secret agents from Vietnam without any proof... May as well say some Thai got paid to kidnap him and deliver him to Vietnam.. again no proof to make any such accusations... 

[Burma Bill]

20 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

Someone knew his schedule

The Thai Secret Service??

[transam]

20 hours ago, thesetat said:

Why are they saying it was secret agents from Vietnam without any proof... May as well say some Thai got paid to kidnap him and deliver him to Vietnam.. again no proof to make any such accusations... 

No, the headline says "likely"..........

[cncltd1973]

Thailand sounds more like Mexico everyday. working to become the new kidnapping hub of SE Asia 

[BayArea]

On 4/18/2023 at 10:09 PM, Karma80 said:

SE Asia. Where human rights and democracy go to die.

Russia says hold my beer