169 Illegal North Koreans Arrested In A Single House

[sriracha john]

Thai police gather North Korean illegal immigrants in a house before taking them to the immigration detention centre in Bangkok August 22, 2006. Thai police said on Tuesday they had detained 169 North Koreans in a raid on a house in a Bangkok suburb after neighbours became suspicious of the number of people in it. REUTERS

Thai police gather North Korean illegal immigrants on a bus before taking them to the immigration detention centre in Bangkok August 22, 2006. Thai police said on Tuesday they had detained 169 North Koreans in a raid on a house in a Bangkok suburb after neighbours became suspicious of the number of people in it. REUTERS

Thai police raid nabs 169 North Koreans

BANGKOK - Thai police said on Tuesday they had detained 169 North Koreans in a raid on a house in a Bangkok suburb after neighbors became suspicious of the number of people in it.

"This is the biggest single arrest of North Koreans" in Thailand, Police Major General Pramoj Pathumwong told Reuters.

The North Koreans, mostly women and children, had entered Thailand illegally and were staying in the house with 16 compatriots who had travel documents from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, police said.

The 16 had been due to leave on Tuesday night for South Korea, the favored destination for most of the trickle of refugees leaving the hard-line communist North, they said.

But the UNHCR had their documents, which police insisted on seeing, so the 16 missed their flight as they were kept at Immigration Police headquarters.

Including the 16, there were 128 women, 12 children under the age of 15 and 45 men, police said.

There was no immediate explanation on how so many North Koreans had managed to cram into a single house with at least 10 bedrooms without Thai police being aware of them.

Nor was it known immediately how long they had been there.

Most North Koreans who manage to leave their tightly controlled country do so across the border into a region of northeast China populated by ethnic Koreans.

Some have managed to cross China to Thailand and Vietnam in recent years and most are sent on to Seoul, often without publicity to avoid upsetting the North Korean government.

- Reuters

[LaoPo]

Amazing how so many North Korean people managed to travel such an enormous distance, all the way through China, to Thailand....

Hope they send them to South Korea instead back to North Korea poor buggers.

LaoPo

[Cigarette Burn]

Amazing how so many North Korean people managed to travel such an enormous distance, all the way through China, to Thailand....

Hope they send them to South Korea instead back to North Korea poor buggers.

LaoPo

Seconded, please don't send these unfortunates back to North Korea. Poor sods.

[sriracha john]

I know Thais often have many family members staying in a house, but even with a big 10 bedroom house, it equals 17 people sleeping in each and every one of those bedrooms.

With those conditions, I'm surprised it didn't attrack more attention quicker.

Coming through China, Laos, and ultimately,Thailand, is certainly a roundabout way of just getting to their neighboring country, South Korea. They certainly get an "A" for effort and hopefully it will come to pass.

[Netfan]

It will be interesting to see if the government does the right thing here. Sending them back means prison at best. Unfortunately now the publicity is out-sounds like they were going to be quietly sent to South Korea with the help of the UN.

[Jai Dee]

Police round up 175 North Koreans from a Bangkok house

A North Korean mother and her baby are on their way to immigration detention on Tuesday night. They were among 175 North Koreans who were rounded up from an abandoned house in Huey Kwang area.

South Korean called Wednesday for diplomatic consultations with Thailand on the fate of 175 North Korean refugees detained there.

Thai Police have arrested 175 North Koreans who illegally entered the country and were found hiding in an abandoned home in Bangkok, police said on Wednesday.

They are the largest group of the North Koreans rounded up in Thailand.

The group, comprising of 136 women and 39 men, was charged with illegal entry after failing to produce passports and visas, the head of Thai immigration police told AFP.

"They entered Thailand at a border point somewhere in the north and have been in the kingdom around two months so far," Lieutenant General Suwat Thamrongsrisakul said.

Since their arrest late Tuesday, they have been detained at the immigration office in downtown Bangkok, he said.

"The police charged the North Koreans with illegal entry, and they will be taken to court within 48 hours. After that they could be deported back home," he said.

"Police are also investigating the human smuggling gang who arranged the smuggling of these North Koreans into the country,'' Suwat said.

Meanwhile AFP quoted South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon as saying in Seoul, "we are trying to sort out related details through our embassy in Thailand. The government will hold consultations with the Thai government before reviewing measures to be taken," Ban Ki-Moon said.

In Bangkok, Immigration police chief Songphol Wattanachai said 16 members of the group had been granted refugee status by the Bangkok office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and are scheduled to leave Thailand for South Korea in a few days. It was not immediately clear whether they also would be charged with illegal entry.

Songphol said the North Koreans had entered Thailand in separate groups through the northern Thai province of Chiang Rai, and had been staying in the two-story house for the past two months.

An official at the North Korean embassy earlier said police had not informed them of the arrests.

"We don't have this kind of news or information. We have not been contacted by immigration, then we can not confirm about this," he said.

"We will do nothing, we will not contact the immigration bureau to clarify this information," he added.

Chronic food and energy shortages have driven a growing number of North Koreans from their impoverished homeland, and many of them have been arriving at Thailand's northern border.

Typically North Koreans arriving here escaped their country through China, and then trekked through the Golden Triangle region where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand border each other.

Source: The Nation - 23 August 2006

[Garry]

I hope all goes well for them.

[sriracha john]

Police round up 175 North Koreans from a Bangkok house

Thai Police have arrested 175 North Koreans who illegally entered the country and were found hiding in an abandoned home in Bangkok, police said on Wednesday.

Songphol said the North Koreans had entered Thailand in separate groups through the northern Thai province of Chiang Rai, and had been staying in the two-story house for the past two months.

The house was an abandoned house? That was only 2 stories? And none of the neighbors said anything about 175 people staying there for 2 months until just now? :D

Amazing place that, Bangkok.

Thailand detains N Korea migrants

Officers raided the house late on Tuesday night, after receiving a tip-off from neighbours.

- BBC (all the "biggies" are covering this story now)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5277046.stm

[Netfan]

These poor people have walked, been trucked and god knows what else thousands of miles to escape living under what is arguably the worst regime in the world. When you look at people like this you realize how strong the human spirit is. It's a tough spot for Thai immigration. Hopefully they will put them on a plane to South Korea. In the meantime, it has to be a terrifying experience for them. Hope they are being treated well and UNHCR has access to them.

[cclub75]

"The police charged the North Koreans with illegal entry, and they will be taken to court within 48 hours. After that they could be deported back home," he said.

"Police are also investigating the human smuggling gang who arranged the smuggling of these North Koreans into the country,'' Suwat said.

Another disgrace from the thai authorities :

-first reaction of the Great Policeman: charge them and send them home

-And then, second brillant idea : investigation about a "human smuggling gang", like traffickers, when the only aim of these poor people is to SURVIVE and leave a country that is a huge concentration camp.

I go to toilets to throw up.

I hope the South Korea government will put pressure on Bangkok.

[Payboy]

Judging by how far up China's wazoo the Thai government is these days, I'm willing to bet the whole bunch is repatriated to North Korea.

[meemiathai]

My bet is they all get sent to S Korea.

[baboon]

Please, Thailand. I know they entered your country Illegally, but in this case, how about cutting them some slack and let them be on their way. They did not come here to work or take your taxpayers money.

[MrSnrang]

Yeah. Gotta feel sorry for them. A big mistake from the police. They're refugees, escaping mother earth's pimply asscrack. Let them stay.

I seem to remember about 60 years ago that the elite poilcemen's predecessors left China due to the deplorable conditions.

[baboon]

Having read a fair few books on N. Korea, and judging by the fact these unfortunates route ended up in Bangkok, these "Human traffickers" are very likely to be Christian missionaries trying to help, not profit from these sad people.

In Thailand, I believe you have to pay for your own passage if you are to be deported. I doubt Pyongyang will be willing to stump up the cash. There are no flights to the D.P.R.K. from Thailand. They would first have to be sent to Beijing.If a charter flight from Bkk were to be arranged, can you imagine the damage done to LOS reputation internationally? Especially considering the bid to head the U.N. after Kofi Annan steps down?

No, thinking about it now my money is on them quietly being sent to South Korea. Let us hope so for the refugees sake.

[sriracha john]

Most of detained North Koreans wish to go to South Korea

Almost all of the 175 North Koreans refugees detained by the police on illegal entry charges have requested to be relocated to South Korea, informed sources said on Wednesday.

Only about three or four have expressed interest in going to the United States, said the sources on condition of anonymity.

The report came as Thai authorities were scrambling to contain further damages from the mass arrest that put Thailand in bad light among the international community who see the plight of the "displaced" North Koreans as a humanitarian issue, not a matter of law and order.

The 175 North Koreans were being processed through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees before the US or South Korea would be notified. At least 16 of the 175 were said to have a "person of concern", or POC, a status granted by the UN refugee agency to asylum seekers. The group, comprising of 136 women and 39 men,

Officials said there is an understanding between Thai government and the international community that the North Korean "displaced people" should be treated in a quiet manner to prevent any possible retribution against the person's family members.

But at the same time, Thai officials said they do not want to be seen as a transit place for human trafficking.

In a press conference yesterday, Foreign Ministry's spokesman Kitti Wasinondh said the government was concerned that Thailand is being exploited as a transit point for "human smuggling".

The Immigration Bureau considered the 175 to be violators of the country's immigration law. The government will work with concerned countries to prevent illegal entry to the Kingdom, Kitti said.

News about the 175 North Koreans surfaced on Tuesday night when police raided a home in a Bangkok residential area following complaints from neighbours over the high number of people entering and leaving the residence.

Meanwhile, AFP quoted South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon as saying in Seoul, "we are trying to sort out related details through our embassy in Thailand. The government will hold consultations with the Thai government before reviewing measures to be taken," Ban Ki Moon said.

The Nation

[Scott]

Since the UN is involved, it is likely that these people will be afforded protection. Thailand is usually most interested (as are a lot of countries), in getting rid of them. If S. Korea will take them, and they usually do, there should be no problem.

[sriracha john]

All 175 seized Koreans on UNHCR list

They are classified as persons of concern

All 175 North Koreans arrested in a crackdown on illegal migrants at a house in Huai Khwang district on Tuesday night are listed as persons of concern (PoC) by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The UNHCR is consulting the government on providing them with assistance and ensuring their safety, spokeswoman Kitty McKinsey said yesterday. The UNHCR will not have to grant them refugee status since they are PoCs and South Korea considered them its citizens. However, Immigration Police Bureau chief Pol Lt-Gen Suwat Tumrongsriskul said only 16 of the group possess UNHCR travel documents. The remainder, including 25 children, would appear in the North Bangkok Court today on charges of illegal entry. Under normal practice, they would be fined up to 6,000 baht each or face imprisonment before being deported. A source at the South Korean embassy said Seoul was ready to take in all of them after the court procedures were over.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/24Aug2006_news05.php

[Spenthouse]

Mistake they made was not to dress identically, because then the neighbours wouldn't have noticed.

Cos they all lookee likee, don't they don't.

yeah, and about 80 odd are called kim and the rest are park's

wasn't it 2-3 yrs ago that some n.koreans jumped in to the japanese embassy on petchaburi road? they were all sent back to china because the chinese so kindly offered to send them onward by road to n.korea.

[sriracha john]

In a SHOCKING development.... ALL the adults are going to jail... not to South Korea..

136 North Koreans sentenced to four months in jail

A Bangkok court Thursday handed down a four month sentence and Bt6,000 fine for each of the 136 North Korean refugees on charges of illegal entry.

The 136 were part of the 175 North Koreans, mostly women and children, were arrested late Tuesday in an abandoned home in a Bangkok residential area.

The number exclude children and the 16 Koreans who have been cleared by a UN refugee agency to relocate to a third country.

Police said the Koreans were using Thailand as a transit point to a third country.

The Nation

------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Should the little toddlers feel grateful that they too are not being thrown into a Thai Prison?

2. Will this FINALLY put an end to Thailand's Suriakit's laughable bid to become the new United Nations Secretary-General as Thailand has shown repeatedly that it doesn't give a damnnnn what the United Nations asks for or wants?

[Phil Conners]

[mittheimp]

according to the BBC its 30 days and not 4 months!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5280700.stm

[bulmercke]

I must have lost count over the years of how many articles I have read denouncing North Korea in the main stream media - high-lighting the plight and suffering of it's poor people.

And what does the Thai government do.....throw them into a hel_l-hole of an immigration jail - the notorious Immigration Detention Centre - and fine them!

[sriracha john]

according to the BBC its 30 days and not 4 months!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5280700.stm

Some clarification from the Associated Press. Apparently they were sentenced to four months in jail, but because of their guilty plea, it was reduced by half, then that jail sentence was suspended for a year, BUT because they were unable to pay the 6,000 baht fine portion of their guilty sentence, they have been sent to jail for a month, which, IMHO, is STILL uncalled for and sets Thailand up to be ridiculed in the eyes of the world:

Thai Court Convicts 136 North Koreans

BANGKOK, Thailand -- A court Thursday convicted 136 North Koreans of entering Thailand illegally after officials said they were smuggled into the country and planned to seek asylum.

The 28 men and 108 women were arrested Tuesday in a Bangkok suburb. They were sentenced to a four-month suspended jail term and fined about $159 each, according to Bangkok North Municipal Court.

The sentence was reduced by half and suspended for a year because the asylum seekers pleaded guilty, according to court documents. However, none of them was able to pay the fine and they were to be jailed in nearby Pathum Thani province for 30 days.

- The Associated Press

-----------------------------------------------

Additionally, apparently the 6,000 baht fine was very nearly at the top end of the range allowed by law.

Meanwhile, the kids' fate is still undetermined. From the same AP report:

The remaining 23 North Koreans were minors under the age of 15 and authorities had not yet decided what would be done with them, police said.

[sriracha john]

A North Korean woman looks out from a caged prison van on the way to a Bangkok court. Thai police arrested 175 North Koreans at a Bangkok house.

Photo: Reuters

Ironically, there were 177 news articles found on this topic during a search. It's being beamed around the world, to the detriment of Thailand:

Thai Court Convicts 136 North Koreans

Forbes - 6 hours ago

... The Thai government has tried to discourage North Koreans from using Thailand to seek asylum, fearing it could cause diplomatic tensions with North Korea.

Thai Court Convicts 136 North Koreans Washington Post

North Korean refugee trail leads to Thailand Sydney Morning Herald

N.Koreans in Thai court but may head soon to South Reuters AlertNet

All Headline News - BBC News -

all 177 related articles

[Netfan]

Let's see: China's lapdog, defenders of and golfing buddies with the regime in Burma, and now afraid to strain relations with North Korea. Nothing else to say, really.

[Jai Dee]

Thai departure of NKoreans bound for Seoul delayed

Seoul - The departure of 18 North Korean refugees bound for Seoul after being found hiding in Bangkok has been delayed due to security concerns, reports said Friday.

Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified government official as saying the North Koreans were to leave Bangkok on a flight to Seoul late Thursday but the schedule changed after their departure was exposed to the media.

"The delay stems from a security necessity raised during consultations among Thai, UNHCR and South Korean officials," he was quoted as saying.

The 18 were among 175 North Koreans held by Thai authorities earlier this week while hiding in an abandoned house in Bangkok. Police believe they entered the country from the northern border with Myanmar two months ago.

UNHCR spokeswoman Kitty McKinsey told AFP 16 were cleared by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to relocate to a third and country could leave for South Korea within days.

The remaining two arrived in Bangkok before the others and their departure for Seoul had already been arranged by South Korean authorities. Most of the 175 North Koreans reportedly want to live in South Korea.

A Thai court convicted most of the adult North Koreans of illegal entry and fined them 6,000 baht (160 dollars). None were able to pay, and were sentenced to 30 days in prison.

Source: The Nation - 25 August 2006

[tourleadersi]

This is grim and reflects very poorly on Thailand.

I have been into N.Korea a couple of times and trust me, walking from there to Bangkok would not be hard when compared to the hardships they will have endured prior to that. As for their spell in the prison, it is shocking and wrong, but I don't think they will suffer too badly again when compared to what they have endured already including sharing a house with so many others. i wish them all the best and can only hope that the UN steps in and makes sure that the children are dealt with properly and that all receive sanctuary on their release.

Come on Thailand, snap out of it!

[Spenthouse]

None were able to pay, and were sentenced to 30 days in prison.

i hope none of them are suffering from diabetes.

[ratcatcher]

Does Thailand's Dear Leader have any business deals with North Korea's Dear leader ?