Probe into disappearance of immigrant detainees in Thailand

[webfact]

Probe into disappearance of immigrant detainees
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- AN INVESTIGATION is under way into the disappearance of more than a hundred illegal immigrant women and children from a government shelter in Songkhla.

Social Development and Human Security Minister Adul Saengsingkaew said yesterday that he did not yet know if the illegal immigrants escaped or were involved with human traffickers, but a probe would soon shed light on the matter.

The disappearance might have involved in "an unusual repatriation process" where certain benefits were not observed, National Human Rights Commission member Niran Phithakwatchara said yesterday.

Niran said if that was not the case, the foreigners had been made desperate by the authorities' unclear, ineffective and, ultimately, hopeless methods.

He said this might have prompted them to flee after being in the custody of the Social Development and Human Security Ministry for more than eight months.

The NHRC will soon summon ministry officials or custody staff to provide an explanation for the disappearance of 129 of the 169 women and children at the shelter.

Pol Maj-General Phutthichart Ekkachan, tasked with tackling human trafficking, said many of the foreigners were known to be wealthy, with their leaders knowledgeable people who spoke multiple languages.

"The disappearance is supposed to be the result of their willingness to escape, with assistance being given by outsiders," he said.

A total of 295 detainees were arrested for illegal entry to the country when found in two groups in Songkhla in March.

The authorities do not know if they are Uighur fleeing persecution in China.

The 169 women and children were sent to the shelter, while 126 men are being held by provincial immigration police.

A staff member at the shelter, who asked not to be named, said women and children had fled the shelter on several occasions in small numbers and many were found by shelter staff or local residents and returned.

He said the women and children were not considered detainees and shelter staff were not authorised to prevent them from leaving despite their status as illegal entrants. There were only two immigration officers on guard duty at the shelter.

The women and children had been there for eight months and did not know what was going to happen to them. They did not want to wait any longer.

He said it was the duty of immigration and local police to track down the escapees and bring them back, while the shelter was obliged to keep taking care of the 40 people remaining.

Provincial immigration police chief Maj-General Thatchai Pitaneelabutr said earlier that all 126 men were still being detained and the responsibility for the disappearances fell on the shelter - not immigration police.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Probe-into-disappearance-of-immigrant-detainees-30247740.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-14

[BSJ]

Ah, one can only imagine the finger pointing going on down there at the moment!

[Fiddlesticks]

The women and children had been there for eight months . . .

The authorities do not know if they are Uighur fleeing persecution in China.

Have to hand it to the Thai officials in charge of they cluster f@#k. Had these folks in custody for eight months and couldn't even figure out what people group they belonged to!!! One can only assume that Thai government employees are dumber than rocks?

[noitom]

A "Thai probe" is underway. Thais are always probing.

[NongKhaiKid]

The sentence ' many of the foreigners were known to be wealthy ' could prove to be more than just a simple statement of fact.

[Eliot Rosewater]

The women and children had been there for eight months . . .

The authorities do not know if they are Uighur fleeing persecution in China.

Have to hand it to the Thai officials in charge of they cluster f@#k. Had these folks in custody for eight months and couldn't even figure out what people group they belonged to!!! One can only assume that Thai government employees are dumber than rocks?

I think you are on the wrong track here; of course they didn't know what group they belonged to; they just don't care.

[jaltsc]

The women and children had been there for eight months . . .

The authorities do not know if they are Uighur fleeing persecution in China.

Have to hand it to the Thai officials in charge of they cluster f@#k. Had these folks in custody for eight months and couldn't even figure out what people group they belonged to!!! One can only assume that Thai government employees are dumber than rocks?

At least rocks serve a useful purpose.

[Thailand]

Perhaps the same place they would like the Koh Tao boys to be in!

[AGareth2]

an article in a paper that cannot be named gives a readable explanation

[aussieinthailand]

So if they are NOT considered to be detainees, and they do not have the authority to hold them, then after the woman and children "escaped" on who's authority were the escapees' returned too the detention facility? and therefor if not official detainee's then would they not be illegally detained by Thai officials?

8 months in detention and still can't figure out which country they are from but can figure out that they are wealthy, and don't know if they have been victims of human trafficking or not, something's going on but what? $$$$$$$$$$$$$

[biggles45]

" but a probe would soon shed light on the matter."

Most unlikely !!

[soalbundy]

Take a pair of binoculars and look out to sea, if the boat is still afloat you could find them.

[khounteen]

The immigration people have better and more profitable things to do.

[Commerce]

There were only 2 officers on duty, to cater for 169 women and children. More than enough said about the treatment they were receiving, if any.

[godden]

A "Thai probe" is underway. Thais are always probing.

And then the crack down, it's coming any time soon.

[Elmer Gantry]

The women and children had been there for eight months . . .

The authorities do not know if they are Uighur fleeing persecution in China.

Have to hand it to the Thai officials in charge of they cluster f@#k. Had these folks in custody for eight months and couldn't even figure out what people group they belonged to!!! One can only assume that Thai government employees are dumber than rocks?

as usual you are fair with your posts.in this case you give credit where credit is due,hope you get my meaning

[retarius]

Why not ask the people who were not taken/escaped? A bit pointless to ask the officials at the "shelter" who probably sold them into slavery.

[Tomtomtom69]

The women and children had been there for eight months . . .

The authorities do not know if they are Uighur fleeing persecution in China.

Have to hand it to the Thai officials in charge of they cluster f@#k. Had these folks in custody for eight months and couldn't even figure out what people group they belonged to!!! One can only assume that Thai government employees are dumber than rocks?

I think you are on the wrong track here; of course they didn't know what group they belonged to; they just don't care.

Well either that or they genuinely have no idea. After all, a large number of Thais can't seem to tell the difference between foreign Asians such as Vietnamese or Chinese etc. travelling in their country and assume that the only foreigners in Thailand are westerners or as they call us, farangs. Some Thai people have no concept of foreign Asians also travelling here, in fact about 60% of visitors to Thailand are Asian visitors. I find that strange, because I can easily tell the difference between Thais and Vietnamese, Chinese etc. a mile away and even without a flag bearing tour leader nearby.

[SOTIRIOS]

...duh....is it possible that they paid someone to assist them.....???

[JAG]

I'll bet that if you dug deep enough you would find something very dark and nasty has happened.

Not that anyone will be allowed to dig!

Perhaps it's time that the various international agencies which have expressed concern about human trafficking stop pussyfooting around.

[Robby nz]

an article in a paper that cannot be named gives a readable explanation

You can name it mate, you can also point people to a headline but can not quote directly from an article or give a link.

Mods made that clear to me previously.

[rickirs]

There should be a probe into the 40 women and children at the shelter who did not disappear - 8 months in detention and they stay? What sinister purpose or dark reason was there in their minds when freedom was a simple walk out of detention? Or was it it something simple such as they had not yet been "assigned" sponsors for their departure?

[ableguy]

Ah, one can only imagine the finger pointing going on down there at the moment!

Also counting the money, it is so obvious anybody but a BIB can figure it out.

[EyesWideOpen]

If I was a betting man, I would say property has been reclaimed......

This story will fade away pretty quickly with of course no resolution.