Thailand Is ' Shouldering Refugee Burden Alone'

[Markaew]

Thailand complains about everything. Other countries are not giving promised money. Well maybe other countries never can figure out Thailand's intent. The US parked a carrier off Thailand when Thailand needed help during the floods and Thailand says "No thanks!" Is this just another opportunity to complain when they have no intent on cooperating?

[Pimay1]

Thailand complains about everything. Other countries are not giving promised money. Well maybe other countries never can figure out Thailand's intent. The US parked a carrier off Thailand when Thailand needed help during the floods and Thailand says "No thanks!" Is this just another opportunity to complain when they have no intent on cooperating?

Very timely and true post.

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed.

[Nisa]

Asking another country to help take in refuges they first get to interview before accepting is much different than having folks enter your country in droves illegally and seeking asylum and then needing to set up camps or detention centers to hold these people as their cases are investigated.

[hellodolly]

@hellodolly: From your knowledge, the 506,200 people deemed as stateless in the UNHCR report on Thailand, are they Thai e.g. hill tribes or?

I really don't know numbers. All I know is that some of the hill tribes are stateless. Could be 100 or 500,000 I have no idea.

I picked that information up on a tour seven years ago. The hill tribes are not dependent on the Thai government for their needs any more than a Thai citizen.

[submaniac]

@markaew

Ummm....Thailand was flooded. What was it that an aircraft carrier could have accomplished? An air sortie against Thailand? It was sent back because there was no need for it and the us could have used it to finish its regional patrol. And Thailand never complained about it.

[Pimay1]

@markaew

Ummm....Thailand was flooded. What was it that an aircraft carrier could have accomplished? An air sortie against Thailand? It was sent back because there was no need for it and the us could have used it to finish its regional patrol. And Thailand never complained about it.

You are joking right?

[Nisa]

@markaew

Ummm....Thailand was flooded. What was it that an aircraft carrier could have accomplished? An air sortie against Thailand? It was sent back because there was no need for it and the us could have used it to finish its regional patrol. And Thailand never complained about it.

You are joking right?

I'm guessing they might reject an aircraft carrier if one was offered to help deal with this crisis too

[somchaismith]

Heartless

[submaniac]

Actually a us aircraft carrier may actually be useful here. There's enough space to hold about 850 rohingya on a trip to say Australia or the uk..... Ooh the possibilities.

Bit yeah I was serious about the aircraft carrier thing. From reading the news at the time it simply want needed and Thailand was the one that said we don't need it and I haven't heard of any complaints by the Thai gov. If I am wrong on this could you please kindly show me the news articles?

Edited January 19, 2013 by submaniac

[chooka]

Actually a us aircraft carrier may actually be useful here. There's enough space to hold about 850 rohingya on a trip to say Australia or the uk..... Ooh the possibilities.

Bit yeah I was serious about the aircraft carrier thing. From reading the news at the time it simply want needed and Thailand was the one that said we don't need it and I haven't heard of any complaints by the Thai gov. If I am wrong on this could you please kindly show me the news articles?

Australia is full

[Nisa]

Actually a us aircraft carrier may actually be useful here. There's enough space to hold about 850 rohingya on a trip to say Australia or the uk..... Ooh the possibilities.

Bit yeah I was serious about the aircraft carrier thing. From reading the news at the time it simply want needed and Thailand was the one that said we don't need it and I haven't heard of any complaints by the Thai gov. If I am wrong on this could you please kindly show me the news articles?

I am sure they wouldn't mind a large humanitarian ship in either scenario but parking another US war ship of the US off the coast and allowing US military to involve themselves with internal problems probably would have other ramifications that might outweigh the assistance it could provide. On the other hand Thailand has been known to refuse a helping hand at time while at others it gladly asks or accepts assistance.

Edited January 19, 2013 by Nisa

[Mudcrab]

Thailand had nothing to do with creating the problem. It didn't start the conflict in Myanmar. It didn't ask for these people to come.

Thailand was going to "take care" of the problem on its own, without international help. What Thailand would have simply done is either ship these people to Malaysia or back to Myanmar. Then the foreign nations come and say "wait, UN resolution on refugees". Thailand is not a signatory to the agreement.

Then the foreign nations say, "Hey there's 20 nations who want to help". Well if they want to help, it's a simple thing, and it doesn't involve giving Thailand any money so you don't have to worry about the money being stolen. Send a ship. One big ship would actually suffice.

Pick these people up and take them to the U.K., Australia, the USA, France, Germany, or any of the other Western nations that are complaining about the UN Refugee treaty.

Truth is, none of the nations that are pointing their finger at the UN treaty want to take these people in themselves. So the "help" means "the UN nations are going to talk about helping Thailand so it looks like we're doing something but in reality we really don't want these people in our borders so we'll just keep on talking about it cuz that way these people stay in Thailand."

Maybe they'll go into a committee and talk about giving Thailand money. Meanwhile, Thailand is taking care of these people. And ultimately the UN nations are trying to get out of taking these people and are trying to stick Thailand with the responsibility.

As others have pointed out, Thailand historically has taken in a large number of refugees, and has probably taken in more refugees than any other country in SEA. The Vietnam war. When the South Vietnamese escaped, they ended up in Thai refugee camps. Same with the slaughter in Cambodia, the Cambodians escaped to refugee camps on the Thai border. Conflict in Laos. Conflict in Myanmar. All the refugees run to Thailand.

If you look at the article that Thai at Heart pointed out it will show something: that there are 655,000 refugees in Thailand, but the UN only provides assistance for 149,000 refugees. So Thailand foots the bill on 500,000 based on a treaty that Thailand never signed.

Where are the refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia now? Not in Thailand i'll wager.

Hong Kong did a similar thing with the Vietnamese refugees...and every single one of them either went home or to another country. These camps are merely holding areas until someone else takes responsibiltiy.

I'm not saying this is a bad thing...but please lets not inflate the figures of the number of refugees who actually stay here long term

Edited January 19, 2013 by Mudcrab

[Buchholz]

@markaew

Ummm....Thailand was flooded. What was it that an aircraft carrier could have accomplished? An air sortie against Thailand? It was sent back because there was no need for it and the us could have used it to finish its regional patrol. And Thailand never complained about it.

It was utterly ridiculous for Thailand to have turned away the aid that was offered.

Anyone even remotely familiar with the capabilities that a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier task force could have brought to flood-ravaged Thailand would agree wholeheartedly. To have turned it away was one of the multitude of grave mistakes the Yingluck administration made during the floods. A catastrophic flood with 800+ dead and they refused assistance.

any US Navy Carrier Group, or any US Navy Amphibious Group, still has immense capabilities, all of which could be used to assist the host government in their actions. I have been on Amphibious Groups which have been diverted on a moment's notice for disaster relief, one being a major flooding situation.

the local governments welcomed any and all assistance.

For starters, Thailand sure could have used the one and half million liters of drinking water per day available from the carrier task force. The medical resources could have easily helped out as well as the thousands of meals it can prepare and very significant amounts of electrical power.

Edited January 19, 2013 by Buchholz

[bigbamboo]

Actually a us aircraft carrier may actually be useful here. There's enough space to hold about 850 rohingya on a trip to say Australia or the uk..... Ooh the possibilities.

Bit yeah I was serious about the aircraft carrier thing. From reading the news at the time it simply want needed and Thailand was the one that said we don't need it and I haven't heard of any complaints by the Thai gov. If I am wrong on this could you please kindly show me the news articles?

Australia is full

And the UK is overflowing!

[ikbenhet]

Actually a us aircraft carrier may actually be useful here. There's enough space to hold about 850 rohingya on a trip to say Australia or the uk..... Ooh the possibilities.

Bit yeah I was serious about the aircraft carrier thing. From reading the news at the time it simply want needed and Thailand was the one that said we don't need it and I haven't heard of any complaints by the Thai gov. If I am wrong on this could you please kindly show me the news articles?

Australia is full

And the UK is overflowing!

Actually the whole world is more or less full

[Payboy]

What happened to all this Thai hospitiality we hear so much about?

Or does it come at a price?

Not just any hospitality. It's "world renowned" hospitality as shoved down gullible throats in every TAT release.

[hellodolly]

@markaew

Ummm....Thailand was flooded. What was it that an aircraft carrier could have accomplished? An air sortie against Thailand? It was sent back because there was no need for it and the us could have used it to finish its regional patrol. And Thailand never complained about it.

They sent it back to save face. It could have supplied fresh water for almost all the needs of Bangkok. If you remember or maybe you weren't here there was a need for fresh water. They also had helicopters to provide transportation.

I was here and defiantly remember the need for water and transportation. Can you show me the article that says we have enough fresh water. We don't need any help in moving things around especially from helicopters that can fly at night.

[hellodolly]

What happened to all this Thai hospitiality we hear so much about?

Or does it come at a price?

Not just any hospitality. It's "world renowned" hospitality as shoved down gullible throats in every TAT release.

I ignore the TAT releases and just spend my time enjoying there "world renowned" hospitality. Give a Thai a chance and you will be surprised at how friendly they can be.

Of course if you are in a tourist spot the Thais will treat you differently. They are just exactly like you were when you were working. Trying to get as much money as you could from the boss or if you owned your own business the customers. They just have a different tone skin coloring.

[indyuk]

So much of the foreign help/money that Thailand has received in the past, has not been utilized for its intended purpose. To put it bluntly, it appears it was stolen and used for individual's personal use.

Just maybe the International welfare groups, NGO's, etc are at the point of asking themselves. "why pour moniey down a hole that only the head rats have access to?"

The reputation for corruption in Thailand has become all incluse of most of its parts, thus even those who profess to be, trying to help are suspect and probably rightfully so.

To call fleeing refugees "Illegal Immigrants" is crass in the extreme. This is the area where Thailand ceases to be the Land of Smiles (LOS) and becomes the River of Tears (ROT). Thailand is listed as housing more stateless persons and refugees than any other country on the planet pro-rata. The fact is that a the huge proportion of these used and abused peoples are said to be quintessentially Thai.

[khaowong1]

@markaew

Ummm....Thailand was flooded. What was it that an aircraft carrier could have accomplished? An air sortie against Thailand? It was sent back because there was no need for it and the us could have used it to finish its regional patrol. And Thailand never complained about it.

It was utterly ridiculous for Thailand to have turned away the aid that was offered.

Anyone even remotely familiar with the capabilities that a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier task force could have brought to flood-ravaged Thailand would agree wholeheartedly. To have turned it away was one of the multitude of grave mistakes the Yingluck administration made during the floods. A catastrophic flood with 800+ dead and they refused assistance.

any US Navy Carrier Group, or any US Navy Amphibious Group, still has immense capabilities, all of which could be used to assist the host government in their actions. I have been on Amphibious Groups which have been diverted on a moment's notice for disaster relief, one being a major flooding situation.

the local governments welcomed any and all assistance.

For starters, Thailand sure could have used the one and half million liters of drinking water per day available from the carrier task force. The medical resources could have easily helped out as well as the thousands of meals it can prepare and very significant amounts of electrical power.

Exactly... the water, the food, the medical care this aircraft carrier group could have provided would have been immeasurable.. but noooo... we don't need no help.

I'm guessing because, the water would have been free, the food free, the medical care free, depriving some Thai from making any money off this disaster. that's my thinking..just saying.

[tragickingdom]

Thailand is feeding and taking care of Rohingya? And how do we need to picture that? Soldiers flogging refugees on a Phuket beach, towing them to open sea without water or food and than ravaging their motor so they can't return? Or does the chap mean that the Rohingya are paying officers in the army to help them? I always pity Thai journalists. They write down what the shift joker is telling them, They do not investigate themselves and they dare not to upset the establishment.

[Beetlejuice]

I would guess that the majority of these so-called refugees are piling into Thailand for economic reasons.

I do not differentiate between Westerners of no wealth (the forever tourist types) and those of no wealth from third world countries.

It`s all down to the Thai Government. Open the doors and they will come piling in.

[Buchholz]

It was utterly ridiculous for Thailand to have turned away the aid that was offered.

Anyone even remotely familiar with the capabilities that a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier task force could have brought to flood-ravaged Thailand would agree wholeheartedly. To have turned it away was one of the multitude of grave mistakes the Yingluck administration made during the floods. A catastrophic flood with 800+ dead and they refused assistance.

any US Navy Carrier Group, or any US Navy Amphibious Group, still has immense capabilities, all of which could be used to assist the host government in their actions. I have been on Amphibious Groups which have been diverted on a moment's notice for disaster relief, one being a major flooding situation.

the local governments welcomed any and all assistance.

For starters, Thailand sure could have used the one and half million liters of drinking water per day available from the carrier task force. The medical resources could have easily helped out as well as the thousands of meals it can prepare and very significant amounts of electrical power.

Exactly... the water, the food, the medical care this aircraft carrier group could have provided would have been immeasurable.. but noooo... we don't need no help.

I'm guessing because, the water would have been free, the food free, the medical care free, depriving some Thai from making any money off this disaster. that's my thinking..just saying.

It was also because of the loss of face of having to admit their own government's response was so woefully chaotic and deathly coming up short.

Whether it was the tsunami of Thaksin's time or the flood of Yingluck's time, the Shinawatras' don't like being made to look bad and thus turn away outsider assistance.

.

.

Edited January 19, 2013 by Buchholz