Army chief says "No" to Rohingya refugee camp

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Jan 21 – Thai Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha today voiced opposition to the opening of a centre for Rohingya migrants on Thai soil, saying it will create chronic problems to Thailand in the long run.

He said the Rohingya minority people did not flee a war or fighting in their country but illegally entered Thailand which compelled legal action by Thai authorities.

Thailand must look after them on humanitarian grounds but their time here must not affect national security, he said, adding that sheltering migrants will create problems for the country in the long run as are the cases of 130,000 displaced people currently at nine centres who have not been resettled in third countries.

Gen Prayuth said the longer illegal migrants stay in Thailand, the harder the problem can be to resolve for it leads to more human trafficking, illegal employment and expanding families.

He called on the world community to cooperate in dealing with the problem of illegal migrants instead of leaving the issue to be solely tackled by Thailand.

Gen Prayuth vowed tough legal and disciplinary actions against military officials implicated in the human trafficking racket.

It was reported that some ranking officers of the 4th Region Internal Security Operations Command are involved in smuggling Rohingya migrants from Myanmar. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-01-21

Oh and Thailand is suffering from a labor shortage....but lets send these able bodies folks back...small minds, small ideas.

According to the bbc, there is one up and running already, sponsored by the navy.

Oh i see! the army decide on government policy do they !

General Prayuth vowed tough disciplinary actions against military officials implicated in people smuggling................Well just who is going to implement these orders ? Would'nt mind betting that it gets the "Red Bull" treatment.

Edited January 21, 201313 yr by oldsailor35

Oh and Thailand is suffering from a labor shortage....but lets send these able bodies folks back...small minds, small ideas.

There is no shortage of labour in Thailand, but there is huge amounts employed in inefficient industries propped up by subsidies.

The refugees are almost solely coming from Burma. Why don't Thai politicians insist that aid and investment will be dependent on Burma sorting these problems? Because they might miss an opportunity to make a buck?

According to the bbc, there is one up and running already, sponsored by the navy.

Ya and according to the BBC the red shirts were in the rite doing what they did in 2010.

Oh i see! the army decide on government policy do they !

I don't think so but they coulden;t do any worse. The Government had a policy and changerd as it became known internationaly and pressure was brought to bear.

According to the General

"He said the Rohingya minority people did not flee a war or fighting in their country but illegally entered Thailand which compelled legal action by Thai authorities."

Why did they leave their home land if ir was so peachy keen there.

Obviously all this who-ha is simply a media circus and the General knows nothing about human trafficking... but let's deny them any refugee status anyway in case we need an excuse in having 'misplaced' them. And this country worries about face?

Oh i see! the army decide on government policy do they !

I don't think so but they coulden;t do any worse. The Government had a policy and changerd as it became known internationaly and pressure was brought to bear.

According to the General

"He said the Rohingya minority people did not flee a war or fighting in their country but illegally entered Thailand which compelled legal action by Thai authorities."

Why did they leave their home land if ir was so peachy keen there.

Weren't there stories around Christmas if the Burmese army bombing these people?

Why need a camp when you can sell them all, for a handsome profit, to another 'camp'?

-mel.

The General demonstrates an ignorance of the International Conventions on refugees. Perhaps he is also unable to instil discipline and ethical behaviour in the units and personnel implicated in the human trafficing?

Another demonstration of why the Thai army should not rule the country.

This man, so called "General" has an IQ equivalent to his hat size and an ego equivalent to the dark side of the moon.

Get these bloody boyscout Generals out of the political arena for once and for all.

Oh i see! the army decide on government policy do they !

No, but they are enforcing it, as they should...look at the horrific mess the Uk is in now as a result of unfettered immigration - Australia also has problems because of taking a soft approach on this - without understanding that simply saying "We prefer if you come in by legal channels", they need to tell the illegals IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY, that they will not be allowed in and are not welcome - otherwise it simply leaves the door open to the people traffickers who tell the would-be-immigrants that they will have no problem getting a new life in Thailand, or Australia, or wherever...just pay the $x,000 and your set for life!

The potential boat people (and this applies to those heading for Thailand as well as for other places such as Australia) MUST be told the uncompromised truth via advertising in their own country in their own language - otherwise their only source of information about their intended destination, comes from the people smugglers themselves, who are not going to say "They don't want you, and you will be shipped back"...are they?

But, as unfortunate as it may seem, that is precisely what has to happen....or we are all headed for huge racial and financial problems...

Oh i see! the army decide on government policy do they !

Only on the most important issues.

Might do well to remind the Pipsqueak 2 star General ( not enough money yet to make it to the top I suppose ) that Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm was a refugee not so long back, however Chalerm chose Denmark as his refuge, Denmark being a civilized country with a sympathetic government.

The RTA has no shortage of generals, but Prayuth has made it to the top, so I'm guessing the other bits on his epaulette have some significance.

Chalerm was not a refugee, he was a fugitive criminal not wanting to explain his "unusual wealth".

Oh i see! the army decide on government policy do they !

No, the government policy was established days ago when the Defense Minister announced there would be no Rohingya refugee camp.

The government has also said all along they were all going to be deported, thus negating the need for a camp.

Seems the Army Chief is just backing what the government declared previously.

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No "camp" required.. just open another seafood factory & pay below minimum wages.. just like all the other "factories" aka camps !!

Army Chief says no no to refugee camp but yes yes to selling them off to brokers for a profit.

Oh i see! the army decide on government policy do they !

I don't think so but they coulden;t do any worse. The Government had a policy and changerd as it became known internationaly and pressure was brought to bear.

According to the General

"He said the Rohingya minority people did not flee a war or fighting in their country but illegally entered Thailand which compelled legal action by Thai authorities."

Why did they leave their home land if ir was so peachy keen there.

Same could be said for a lot of farang who live in Thailand - the only difference is that they brought money with them

Give them a compass and a map with a route plotted for Bangladesh.

Off-topic posts removed.