Thailand to push back more than 200 boat people: police

[webfact]

Thailand to push back more than 200 boat people: police
BY AMY SAWITTA LEFEVRE

(Reuters) - More than 200 boat people held in southern Thailand will be pushed back out to sea, police said on Monday, despite calls by rights group to stop a policy that puts would-be asylum seekers at risk.

Around 259 people were found at sea on Saturday and were arrested for illegal entry.

Their discovery around 3 km (1.86 miles) from the coast follows what one NGO said was a "major maritime exodus" from neighboring Myanmar of Rohingya, a mostly stateless Muslim minority group from the country's west.

"On average around 900 people left by boat from the middle of last month. We saw a major maritime exodus of nearly 10,000 people," said Chris Lewa of the Arakan Project, a Rohingya advocacy group, adding that increasing desperation was one reason for the departures.

Authorities in Thailand's Kapoe district said it was unclear whether any of the group were Rohingya but interviews with some of the group showed they were heading for Malaysia to find work or, in the women's' cases, join their husbands.

Full story: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/10/us-thailand-myanmar-rohingyas-bangladesh-idUSKCN0IU0ZL20141110


-- Reuters 2014-11-11

[baboon]

After the events of late, pushing them back out to sea would really help repair Thailand's tarnished image. What on earth are they playing at?

[NextStationBangkok]

Frankly i feel sorry for them as a human tragedy, because they lost every rights in Burma. But on the other hand, once they migrate and settle in a country, they start to build mosques and they will start their other business too. Only way to settle the issue is, Muslim majority countries like Malaysia or Indonesia should welcome them and settle them along side with them.

[JOC]

Again!! A new despicable act by inhumane Thais!!

[JOC]

Frankly i feel sorry for them as a human tragedy, because they lost every rights in Burma. But on the other hand, once they migrate and settle in a country, they start to build mosques and they will start their other business too. Only way to settle the issue is, Muslim majority countries like Malaysia or Indonesia should welcome them and settle them along side with them.

Whatever happened to live and let live??

[SoilSpoil]

Good international PR just for the tourist high season.

[smutcakes]

Frankly i feel sorry for them as a human tragedy, because they lost every rights in Burma. But on the other hand, once they migrate and settle in a country, they start to build mosques and they will start their other business too. Only way to settle the issue is, Muslim majority countries like Malaysia or Indonesia should welcome them and settle them along side with them.

If Malaysia or Indonesia are prepared to accept them, i feel providing them with assisted safe passage to either country would be preferable and look better than pushing them back out to see.

Not to mention in the deep south of Thailand, there is already a relatively large Muslim population. Having said that though i am not sure about Malaysia, but i don't think Indonesia are to keen on them, they have plenty of boats people's heading off their coastlines for Australia regularly which they seem unwilling to stop.

It is a very difficult problem, but not just an Asian one, even in Europe it seems to be a problem that is uncontrollable with no ideal solution.

[Thanet]

Again!! A new despicable act by inhumane Thais!!

Aren't the Aussies now doing the same thing, having been invaded by economic migrants for years?

Sydney is full of them - they arrive in droves and most go straight onto welfare, instantly qualifying for privileges that bona fide migrants have to wait years for.

Real refugees are one thing, economic migrants are another thing entirely. The Aussie approach is 'sorry, there are too many of you and we can't afford to settle and support you.'

Edited November 11, 2014 by Thanet

[greenfox]

December 2008 all over again!

1000 men, women and children towed out to the middle of the ocean. Engines removed. Food and water removed. No shelter. Then helplessly set adrift to die.

Thank you Thai navy.

Shame.

[simon43]

This Rohingya problem has been going on for years, and Thailand has not yet found a practicable solution.

Here is my proposal that will solve this and other problems.

Denote Koh Tao as a safe refuge for Rohingya refugees. Provide them with safe passage from the Andaman Sea and overland to Koh Tao. Since all land on Koh Tao is only rented, not owned by the locals, re-allocate the majority of this rented land to the refugees to farm/build fish farms, tourism businesses etc.

Koh Tao has a history of containing those who are not wanted in Thailand. This time round, the refugees would be happy to be contained, building new communities and living a life free from persecution, (as long as some of the current locals are resettled elsewhere).

As for the local families on Koh Tao, well I think they have made enough profit from renting that land. It is time for others more deserving to have a go.

Edited November 11, 2014 by simon43

[worgeordie]

I thought they would have brought them ashore and sold them as

slaves,which seem to happen in the past.

Poor buggers,Bangladesh,Burma and Thailand don't want them,

pushed back out to sea like flotsam,their fate who knows or cares,

regards Worgeordie

[JOC]

Again!! A new despicable act by inhumane Thais!!

Aren't the Aussies now doing the same thing, having been invaded by economic migrants for years?

Sydney is full of them - they arrive in droves and most go straight onto welfare, instantly qualifying for privileges that bona fide migrants have to wait years for.

Real refugees are one thing, economic migrants are another thing entirely. The Aussie approach is 'sorry, there are too many of you and we can't afford to settle and support you.'

I don't believe you can classify the Rohingya's as economic migrants, they are fleeing for their lives!

Very easy to sit in your armchair and condemn people because of their ethnicity or religion, but remember the old saying: Walk a mile in their shoes, before judging them!!

[Nickymaster]

Again!! A new despicable act by inhumane Thais!!

Aren't the Aussies now doing the same thing, having been invaded by economic migrants for years?

Sydney is full of them - they arrive in droves and most go straight onto welfare, instantly qualifying for privileges that bona fide migrants have to wait years for.

Real refugees are one thing, economic migrants are another thing entirely. The Aussie approach is 'sorry, there are too many of you and we can't afford to settle and support you.'

Tony Abbott, Australia's prime minister, deploys the navy to "push" boats filled with asylum seekers heading for Australia back to Indonesian waters

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/10555392/Australia-sends-in-its-navy-to-push-asylum-seeker-boats-back-to-Indonesia.html

[NextStationBangkok]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

December 2008 all over again!

1000 men, women and children towed out to the middle of the ocean. Engines removed. Food and water removed. No shelter. Then helplessly set adrift to die.

Thank you Thai navy.

Shame.

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

This is bad to send them back without engine. Thai authorities should negotiate with Malaysia and Indonesia to give a safe passage. I am not sure they will agree for that, that will fuel more and more illegal migrants. Most of them sail for a better life, that's why they risk their lives to come this direction. It is easier for them to sail to Bangladesh, though they are Muslim majority country, they put them in such a bad shaped camp, they will die from poor food supply and bad sanitation. That why Burmese Rohingya prefer to sail this way. Probably there should be better conditions for them in Bangladesh, so that they don't have to sail all the way here.

I feel the practice of religion allow them to have as many number of children they wanted, and once they grow too big population, they have every scarcity on the earth and obviously they have to look for new geographical location to live. Better they should go for volunteer family planning to keep their population in limit, so that they don't have to migrate to another country.

I am not against any religion or race, but with 7 billion ++ population every religion should think beyond their 1st or 7 century beliefs that allow them grow in any number of scale. Now in the world 1/3 person is Muslim, and growing in a exploding scale. If you take all the crisis in middle east is uncontrollable scale. Take Africa or Middle-east, Afghan, Pakistan every day 100's of people dying from bombings. They all Muslims, they die from sectarian violence. Then they migrate to another country and give problems in the adopted countries like US, France , Germany, UK, Sweden, Norway all struggling from Muslim immigrants. Most of the ISIL fighters are coming from these countries, and they are more aggressive then AL Qaida now. The World peace is very unbalanced now. I am not sure who will address this issue, moderate Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordon, or Turkey should take initiative to have better interpretation and teaching of religious concepts in a modern way to address the terrorism issues, so that everyone can live along side with a peace and religious harmony.

[Thanet]

Aren't the Aussies now doing the same thing, having been invaded by economic migrants for years?

Sydney is full of them - they arrive in droves and most go straight onto welfare, instantly qualifying for privileges that bona fide migrants have to wait years for.

Real refugees are one thing, economic migrants are another thing entirely. The Aussie approach is 'sorry, there are too many of you and we can't afford to settle and support you.'

I don't believe you can classify the Rohingya's as economic migrants, they are fleeing for their lives!

Very easy to sit in your armchair and condemn people because of their ethnicity or religion, but remember the old saying: Walk a mile in their shoes, before judging them!!

As I said, real refugees are one thing, economic migrants are another.

Now how many of these Rohingya are actually 'fleeing for their lives'? How many simply want a better life, with another country footing the bill for that?

[BKKBrit]

Good news! The rohingya scum took it on themselves to take on a journey that they knew would get them into trouble if entering Thai waters. Let them get back on the high seas and be damned with the lot of em.

What an incredibly racist and ignorant post. I hope you get banned for it !!

Shameful that a supposedly 'educated' farang makes such a despicable comment. They are fleeing because of persecution, rape and other atrocities being carried out against them by the Burmese authorities and local Buddhist communities. To wish them damnation is extraordinarily mindless and likewise, I hope TV bans this person so his drivel is kept to himself.

Show some civility!

[Thanet]

Again!! A new despicable act by inhumane Thais!!

Aren't the Aussies now doing the same thing, having been invaded by economic migrants for years?

Sydney is full of them - they arrive in droves and most go straight onto welfare, instantly qualifying for privileges that bona fide migrants have to wait years for.

Real refugees are one thing, economic migrants are another thing entirely. The Aussie approach is 'sorry, there are too many of you and we can't afford to settle and support you.'

Tony Abbott, Australia's prime minister, deploys the navy to "push" boats filled with asylum seekers heading for Australia back to Indonesian waters

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/10555392/Australia-sends-in-its-navy-to-push-asylum-seeker-boats-back-to-Indonesia.html

Ask anyone in the UK, and most would tell you that they wished that the same thing could be done with the droves of low grade migrants arriving from the ex-soviet states in Eastern Europe. Most go straight onto welfare, and there are packs of Roma gypsies sleeping rough, begging and stealing. The social services are straining to cope with lengthening waiting lists for schools, doctors and the like.

The EU is a salient example of what happens when economic migration taken to its unrestricted extreme, and it's not a pretty sight.

I don't blame Thailand for no wanting them over here. Allow a few in and next they'll arrive in droves.

I'm sorry that they are hard up, but Thailand can't support them all.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Thanet

[jacky54]

Thailand does not get a lot right but they are with this. Deter these pests at all costs.

[greenfox]

This is bad to send them back without engine.

In 2008 they weren't 'sent back' without an engine.

They were towed out to sea, then set a drift without food, water, shelter, or any means of propulsion, in short, to drift to their death.

1000 men, women, and children.

This is the behavior of the Thais.

[White Christmas13]

[casualbiker]

Frankly i feel sorry for them as a human tragedy, because they lost every rights in Burma. But on the other hand, once they migrate and settle in a country, they start to build mosques and they will start their other business too. Only way to settle the issue is, Muslim majority countries like Malaysia or Indonesia should welcome them and settle them along side with them.

Whatever happened to live and let live??

Muslim extremists like Taliban and IS happened!

[simple1]

Again!! A new despicable act by inhumane Thais!!

Aren't the Aussies now doing the same thing, having been invaded by economic migrants for years?

Sydney is full of them - they arrive in droves and most go straight onto welfare, instantly qualifying for privileges that bona fide migrants have to wait years for.

Real refugees are one thing, economic migrants are another thing entirely. The Aussie approach is 'sorry, there are too many of you and we can't afford to settle and support you.'

Until a few years ago the asylum seekers / refugees arriving by sea in Australia were nearly all assessed as legitimate. 'They' did not access the same benefits as bona fide migrants, most are not permitted to work and had no option other than to receive welfare support.

Oz government policy was changed by Labor that led to the influx of the large majority arriving by sea and were assessed as economic refugees. The inflow of arrivals by sea has now been stopped by offshore processing and refusal to permit entry to Oz, even if vetted as legitimate. Right now 'they' have the option to be resettled in PNG, volunteer to transfer to Cambodia, transfer back to home country or remain in detention for years whilst UNHCR try to resettle in a third party country.

If the Rohingya manage to get into Malaysia or Indonesia they are denied permission to legally work, exploited and so on.

Bangladesh has recently passed legislation to retroactively cancel all marriage licences between Rohingya themselves. local nationals and banned marriage for Rohingya in any circumstance.

UNHCR efforts are complicated by Rohingya being denied citizenship by the Burmese government, so officially stateless.

I’m sure you and others are aware Rohingya are one of the most oppressed people in the world.

[JOC]

Thailand does not get a lot right but they are with this. Deter these pests at all costs.

The narrowmindedness of some people scares me more than ISIL and Al Qaeda ever will!!

[Greer]

Boat people are being turned back in many places in the world, as are the border runners in the US and other places with land-borders.

The problem is that there has to be a line - you have to stop economic immigration, and it is rapidly becoming obvious that we have to prevent immigration by groups who refuse to fit within the host country's cultural and societal norms.

The result of an inability or unwillingness to enforce this is obvious and being felt to the detriment of places like the UK, where the extremist minority (and it's not so small a minority at over 3 million sympathisers) are trying to destroy their host country and kill any of it's inhabitants that will not convert to their backward religion.

I know it's a sad thing to say, but in many ways, I think Thailand is doing the only thing it can do - turn them away.

I don't believe that the Thai navy is removing food, shelter and engines from the boats before towing them back to sea - that would effectively be murder, and I don't for a minute believe that the navy would do such a thing.

[JOC]

.

I don't believe that the Thai navy is removing food, shelter and engines from the boats before towing them back to sea - that would effectively be murder, and I don't for a minute believe that the navy would do such a thing.

It really doesn't matter what you believe!! Because it actually happened in 2008, use your friend Google.

And two journalists from an English-language newspaper in Phuket was sued by the Thai navy, for reporting it.

[ginjag]

.

I don't believe that the Thai navy is removing food, shelter and engines from the boats before towing them back to sea - that would effectively be murder, and I don't for a minute believe that the navy would do such a thing.

It really doesn't matter what you believe!! Because it actually happened in 2008, use your friend Google.

And two journalists from an English-language newspaper in Phuket was sued by the Thai navy, for reporting it.

I do not believe this act from the navy----also what is your remedy, you knock most things but do not put a GOOD fix to anything---is this you ??? LET THEM ALL IN---ANY COUNTRY ??

[AhFarangJa]

Greer, Nextstationbangkok, Thanet, and a few more seem to have a grasp on the situation happening in many countries now.

Where I do feel some sympathy for the refugees as human beings, I cannot help but feel Thailand is doing the right thing. Muslims will not integrate, they have to dominate, and after taking from a host country they then try to convert that country, many times under the auspices of "human rights". Sadly it is these same human rights that often fails the indigenous population

I personally fear the next major war on our small world will be Muslim vs all other religions.

[Always18]

This news item should be given the widest possible publicity.

Thailand should be thoroughly ashamed - a more disgraceful, inhumane act by a would-be "civilised" country I cannot imagine.

[English_M_in_Bkk]

Frankly i feel sorry for them as a human tragedy, because they lost every rights in Burma. But on the other hand, once they migrate and settle in a country, they start to build mosques and they will start their other business too. Only way to settle the issue is, Muslim majority countries like Malaysia or Indonesia should welcome them and settle them along side with them.

Frankly I feel sorry for farrangs going to other countries, but on the other hand, once they migrate they migrate and settle in a country, they start to build churches and they will start their other business too.

[simon43]

I do not believe this act from the navy-

Check the news articles - it happened.