Thai police to prosecute abandoned migrants

[maidee]

ah thainess

blame the migrants, not the human slave traders

[Mudcrab]

Wow all the bleeding hearts have come out in force.

No doubt Thailand will cop a bad rap for their approach...in public..as did Australia in their successful operation to curb the illegal immigrant problem.

However in private I reckon a lot of European pollies cheer them on and wish they had the balls to do the same thing.

What's with this kidnapping statement earlier? Do you really think people smugglers roam around Myanmar kidnapping people and forcing them onto boats?

Get real this is a business and the illegals are paying customers. They mightn't get the service they paid for but they pay nevertheless. Even people smugglers aren't that stupid to do it for free.

There's been a few cases where the poor starving persecuted muslim (99.9% are muslim) illegal boat arrivals have been booted out of Australia when found not to be genuine refugees but then show up on the next boat with a different name.

All at a reported $10,000 a pop. Someone has got a lot of money, and if it's not the actual illegals then the question needs to be asked who is funding all of this?

[Mudcrab]

Lets not also forget that for every one illegal who enters a country it pushes some poor person who is a genuine refugee and who may have spent 5-10 years in some camp in Africa further down the list of people who may be considered for resettlement.

[Lupatria]

They must have keen appetite for the bailouts in hope the families have another plot of land for sale.

If anyone ever talks to me about the famous "high moral standards" in this country again, I will have a hard time to stifle the urge to spit him in the face.

Edited May 14, 2015 by Lupatria

[Praematura]

The survivors of these camps... What if the Germans had charged the surviving Jews with illegal entry after ww2 ended. I know it's not a perfect analogy but it's as ridiculous.

[tracker1]

Well they were a lot easier to catch !!!!!

[Lupatria]

I think if the next Tsunami hit Thailand the wave of humanitarian (monetary) help will cease long before it lands on the shores of LOS (Land of Shame).

[slipperx]

5 months into 2015---& More than 1,750 migrants perished in the Mediterranean since the start of the year -

I would like to know what country most of the contributors that are having another, Lets all kick Thailand actually come from.

Somtamnication ---is proud enough to show us his English flag while telling us just how Buddha would react from his grave ....maybe he would like to reflect on his countries statements & actions over the last week-

Rescue boats? I’d use gunships to stop migrants, NO, I don’t care. Show me pictures of coffins, show me bodies floating in water, play violins and show me skinny people looking sad.--sun newspaper-Today http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/suncolumnists/katiehopkins/6414865/Katie-Hopkins-I-would-use-gunships-to-stop-migrants.html Theresa May says NO to taking 60,000 economic migrant boat people from north Africa--BRITAIN will fight European Union plans to accept tens of thousands more refugees from North Africa. Daily Express today

Of course there is slight difference between the immigrants dying at sea to escape their country--& the ones driven out by persecution in Myanmar,

Somtamnication counrty, --"Britain"as the poodle of the USA -helped cause the situation in the former. Thailand didn't have a hand in the latter.

You are really trying to compare the treatment in Europe with the prosecution of trafficked people in Thailand for entering illegally are you? My goodness!

[slipperx]

I think if the next Tsunami hit Thailand the wave of humanitarian (monetary) help will cease long before it lands on the shores of LOS (Land of Shame).

Nah - the rest of the world will contribute and the officials will grab it all and then run away and nothing will be done about it - just like last time.

[1duckyboy]

Basicly, in Thailand it's always about the baht. Any well publicized efforts by the government to stop human trafficking and poor fishing practices and fix airline safety issues is just window dressing so the flow of baht from other nations doesn't diminish. Decent treatment of non-Thais involves charity, and there's no baht to be made from true charity. It's that simple.

[sfokevin]

The Minisrty of Tourism will also added them to thier entry numbers...

[MW72]

Lets not also forget that for every one illegal who enters a country it pushes some poor person who is a genuine refugee and who may have spent 5-10 years in some camp in Africa further down the list of people who may be considered for resettlement.

You make a good point. There is an intolerance shown to refugees nowadays and most of that IMHO is down to the flood of economic migrants. All decent societies should be able to offer safe haven to people who are genuinely in fear of their lives.

[DM07]

I said it before: all who are actually defending Thailand in this case, blaming the "economic" refugees, should ask themselves one thing: a what point in your life, would you be so "economically" challenged, that you basically give everything you have to a man, who promisses you a better life, get on a boat that is obviously too small for the other 200- 300 "economic migrants", just to be pushed out to sea with marginal equipment?

...and after you imagined that situation...just pray, that you will never be in it and that some heartless pr1ck with a keyboard, spews some vile comments on the internet about you, while you are rotting away on a Thai- fishtrawler, in a jungle "camp" or just starve to death, somewhere in the waters of the Andaman Sea!

[DM07]

I said it before: all who are actually defending Thailand in this case, blaming the "economic" refugees, should ask themselves one thing: a what point in your life, would you be so "economically" challenged, that you basically give everything you have to a man, who promisses you a better life, get on a boat that is obviously too small for the other 200- 300 "economic migrants", just to be pushed out to sea with marginal equipment?

...and after you imagined that situation...just pray, that you will never be in it and that some heartless pr1ck with a keyboard, spews some vile comments on the internet about you, while you are rotting away on a Thai- fishtrawler, in a jungle "camp" or just starve to death, somewhere in the waters of the Andaman Sea!

[oneday]

That's it Thailand...take a hopeless, persecuted and impoverished people and visit more despair on them. My God, why am I not surprised at the total insensitivity of this country. This is really going to endear you to the international community.

[RigPig]

5 months into 2015---& More than 1,750 migrants perished in the Mediterranean since the start of the year -

I would like to know what country most of the contributors that are having another, Lets all kick Thailand actually come from.

Somtamnication ---is proud enough to show us his English flag while telling us just how Buddha would react from his grave ....maybe he would like to reflect on his countries statements & actions over the last week-

Rescue boats? I’d use gunships to stop migrants, NO, I don’t care. Show me pictures of coffins, show me bodies floating in water, play violins and show me skinny people looking sad.--sun newspaper-Today http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/suncolumnists/katiehopkins/6414865/Katie-Hopkins-I-would-use-gunships-to-stop-migrants.html Theresa May says NO to taking 60,000 economic migrant boat people from north Africa--BRITAIN will fight European Union plans to accept tens of thousands more refugees from North Africa. Daily Express today

Of course there is slight difference between the immigrants dying at sea to escape their country--& the ones driven out by persecution in Myanmar,

Somtamnication counrty, --"Britain"as the poodle of the USA -helped cause the situation in the former. Thailand didn't have a hand in the latter.

You are obviously a little bit biased in your opinion.

The truth is that if a camp like this was found in the UK then the immigrants would be treated as victims. They would receive health care and counselling which is free in the UK and there is a very strong possibility that they would not be deported.

As for Africans crossing the med to Europe. That is an issue that needs to be addressed at its root. Opening the flood gates to these poor people will not solve the root problem that caused them to flee their homeland at great risk to their lives

As for Africans crossing the med to Europe. That is an issue that needs to be addressed at its root. Opening the flood gates to these poor people will not solve the root problem that caused them to flee their homeland at great risk to their lives

Sounds a bit like the OP. Do you think this is different because it is Thailand? The reality of it is NO ONE has come up with an answer to this problem.

Then you have the added problem of militant Muslims being a part of the group an I can understand why Thailand wouldn´t want anymore problems with what is going on do wn South!

I feel sorry for the people, and it is dispicable the way they have been exploited, however the majority of them are not political refugees but financial refugees.

If anyone comes up with a REAL solution it will work globally not only here.

If I was living in Bangladesh or Myanmar I would do whatever it took to get me and the family out too, so what is the answer? I have seen a lot of different points of view on this subject but no REAL answers.

I certainly don´t condone anything that has happened but I don´t have an answer to the (world wide illegal and growing immigrant) problem.

[ggt]

Those caught being smuggled through Thailand are usually arrested as illegal immigrants and taken to detention centres where they languish, sometimes for years.

This is just great Thailand...desperate people who have escaped genocide in their previous country...get to spend years in a Thai jail for fleeing to safety...

Jolly good show Thailand...

Apparently compassion is in short supply in SE Asian countries...Malaysia and Indonesia included...

[Emster23]

Considering the horrible things that happen to them in Burma, seems they would qualify as political refugees. Calling them economic refugees would be similar to labeling Jews released from concentration camps as "economic refugees" because they were starving to death... "see, they want money" (so they could buy some food).

But we must respect Thai law, which seems to be law of the jungle: the strong prey on the weak and defenseless, but steer clear of the really big boys.

[Baerboxer]

5 months into 2015---& More than 1,750 migrants perished in the Mediterranean since the start of the year -

I would like to know what country most of the contributors that are having another, Lets all kick Thailand actually come from.

Somtamnication ---is proud enough to show us his English flag while telling us just how Buddha would react from his grave ....maybe he would like to reflect on his countries statements & actions over the last week-

Rescue boats? I’d use gunships to stop migrants, NO, I don’t care. Show me pictures of coffins, show me bodies floating in water, play violins and show me skinny people looking sad.--sun newspaper-Today http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/suncolumnists/katiehopkins/6414865/Katie-Hopkins-I-would-use-gunships-to-stop-migrants.html Theresa May says NO to taking 60,000 economic migrant boat people from north Africa--BRITAIN will fight European Union plans to accept tens of thousands more refugees from North Africa. Daily Express today

Of course there is slight difference between the immigrants dying at sea to escape their country--& the ones driven out by persecution in Myanmar,

Somtamnication counrty, --"Britain"as the poodle of the USA -helped cause the situation in the former. Thailand didn't have a hand in the latter.

Yep - illegal immigrants and refugees are a problem in lots of countries.

Does France do much about all the North Africans around Calais - no, just tries to shove the problem across to Britain. The fact is countries can not absorb thousands of migrants just because the migrants think they'll be looked after, helped, treated wonderfully and have a better life.

The more people are rescued, looked after, and given help, the more will come. Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia will not accept them, <deleted> should Thailand. It's Myanmar's problem and they need to resolve it.

The EU quotas will be a joke - try and push all the refugees to the countries already working hard and contributing more whilst the usual lazy, unproductive, inefficient and often corrupt ones will get away with little size ones.

[atsiii]

Holy cr*p.......Does Thailand even have the slightest clue how this act will

play out in the world media ???

Well, they control the media and what is disseminated. And when real investigative journalists try to discover the truth, they put them in prison. The ban and censor human rights websites. So if you google 'thailand human trafficing,' all you see is a list of controlled PR articles that tell what a great job the country is doing with its crackdown.

So what does the world really know or care? The USA never does anything because they don't want to endanger their military ties, and they are the ones who created all these 'Millionaire Generals.' IMO, unless the EU and USA hit Thailand with major sanctions, nothing will change.

[atsiii]

It's good PR; now the junta can claim that "hundreds have been prosecuted since the human trafficing crackdown began!"

[rametindallas]

I said it before: all who are actually defending Thailand in this case, blaming the "economic" refugees, should ask themselves one thing: a what point in your life, would you be so "economically" challenged, that you basically give everything you have to a man, who promisses you a better life, get on a boat that is obviously too small for the other 200- 300 "economic migrants", just to be pushed out to sea with marginal equipment?

...and after you imagined that situation...just pray, that you will never be in it and that some heartless pr1ck with a keyboard, spews some vile comments on the internet about you, while you are rotting away on a Thai- fishtrawler, in a jungle "camp" or just starve to death, somewhere in the waters of the Andaman Sea!

My house is old and my roof leaks and your house is much nicer than mine so I'm bringing my family and moving in with you and your family. Since I have no business in your house, you'll provide for my needs, right? Right?

Since when can Thailand afford to become a magnet for economic migrants? Build the camps and they will come. I'm pretty sure none of the 'bleeding heart' posters, who are condemning Thailand, will contribute one satang to support these economic migrants. Thailand is following the legal framework by prosecuting before deporting; something every country has a right to do to protect their sovereignty. During their hearing in court, each refugee/economic migrant will then have an opportunity to show they are in need of asylum from persecution and not simply looking for a better life. Thailand has a long history of taking in refugees who were fleeing from war zones and repressive governments (a much better record than any other country in SEA) and is currently being overwhelmed by economic migrants

... the UNHCR publicly maintains that “…the generosity of the Royal Thai Government in hosting refugees and asylum-seekers has spanned several decades” (UNHCR, 2012b),

http://www.burmalink.org/background/thailand-burma-border/displaced-in-thailand/refugee-camps/

Today there are nearly 82,000 registered refugees and some 13,000 asylum seekers in Thailand (as of June 2013). Most refugees are ethnic minorities from Myanmar, mainly Karen and Karenni, who live in nine camps in four provinces along the Thai-Myanmar border. Refugees in Thailand have been fleeing conflict and crossing Myanmar's eastern border jungles for the safety of Thailand for nearly 30 years. Inside Thailand, they find refuge in nine government-run camps along the border where Myanmar refugees and asylum-seekers receive basic food, shelter, medical care and schooling. The Thai government runs all camps, with most assistance provided by non-governmental organisations (NGOs), while UNHCR focuses on protection activities and programmes to ensure that refugees live in safety and relative security within the camps. https://www.unhcr.or.th/refugee/thailand

There are roughly 150,000 Burmese refugees in nine official camps on the Thai-Burma border, and more than two million Burmese migrants residing primarily in urban areas of Thailand. Refugees have been residing in the Thai-Burma border camps for more than 25 years. According to Thai law, undocumented Burmese found outside of the camps are subject to arrest and deportation and refugees have no legal right to employment.

http://www.state.gov/j/prm/policyissues/issues/protracted/countries/157401.htm

True refugees, who really do need asylum, are not people who pay "people smugglers" to take them to a country with better opportunities.

The 1951 Refugee Convention establishing UNHCR spells out that a refugee is someone who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country."

Refugees are different from economic migrants who leave their country to earn a better living. Refugees are not protected by their own country; they are forced to flee from it. Therefore, it is essential that the international community provide support and protection for refugees.

https://www.unhcr.or.th/refugee/who_refugee

Thailand is NOT a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and yet has respected its tenents.

These court proceedings will separate the true refugees from the economic migrants. There is a difference, you know.

Lupatria: please don't spit in my face because I am NOT saying Thailand has high moral standards (they don't). I am saying they are doing the best they can under the conditions and certainly aren't among the worst offenders when it comes to economic migrants. This thread was getting a little one-sided so I tried to show a different perspective.

[Happy Grumpy]

And farangs complain about the mistreatment of having to pay 200b to enter a National Park.

Unless they have a Thai DL.

[MW72]

5 months into 2015---& More than 1,750 migrants perished in the Mediterranean since the start of the year -

I would like to know what country most of the contributors that are having another, Lets all kick Thailand actually come from.

Somtamnication ---is proud enough to show us his English flag while telling us just how Buddha would react from his grave ....maybe he would like to reflect on his countries statements & actions over the last week-

Rescue boats? I’d use gunships to stop migrants, NO, I don’t care. Show me pictures of coffins, show me bodies floating in water, play violins and show me skinny people looking sad.--sun newspaper-Today http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/suncolumnists/katiehopkins/6414865/Katie-Hopkins-I-would-use-gunships-to-stop-migrants.html Theresa May says NO to taking 60,000 economic migrant boat people from north Africa--BRITAIN will fight European Union plans to accept tens of thousands more refugees from North Africa. Daily Express today

Of course there is slight difference between the immigrants dying at sea to escape their country--& the ones driven out by persecution in Myanmar,

Somtamnication counrty, --"Britain"as the poodle of the USA -helped cause the situation in the former. Thailand didn't have a hand in the latter.

You are obviously a little bit biased in your opinion.

The truth is that if a camp like this was found in the UK then the immigrants would be treated as victims. They would receive health care and counselling which is free in the UK and there is a very strong possibility that they would not be deported.

As for Africans crossing the med to Europe. That is an issue that needs to be addressed at its root. Opening the flood gates to these poor people will not solve the root problem that caused them to flee their homeland at great risk to their lives

As for Africans crossing the med to Europe. That is an issue that needs to be addressed at its root. Opening the flood gates to these poor people will not solve the root problem that caused them to flee their homeland at great risk to their lives

Sounds a bit like the OP. Do you think this is different because it is Thailand? The reality of it is NO ONE has come up with an answer to this problem.

Then you have the added problem of militant Muslims being a part of the group an I can understand why Thailand wouldn´t want anymore problems with what is going on do wn South!

I feel sorry for the people, and it is dispicable the way they have been exploited, however the majority of them are not political refugees but financial refugees.

If anyone comes up with a REAL solution it will work globally not only here.

If I was living in Bangladesh or Myanmar I would do whatever it took to get me and the family out too, so what is the answer? I have seen a lot of different points of view on this subject but no REAL answers.

I certainly don´t condone anything that has happened but I don´t have an answer to the (world wide illegal and growing immigrant) problem.

You want the real answer? I guess there are many factors but one of the biggest causes has been that the richest countries in the world have viewed the poorer nations as merely raw materials for their economies and have consistently made it their policy not to allow them to develop too much. That's a big one for starters.

You are right that these people must be desperate to take the risks they do to try and make a better life for their families. I can't imagine how bad life must be for them to borrow the money they do to pay some low life predator to smuggle them to another country. All in the vain hope that they don't get treated like an animal and enslaved.

The truth is that this world has enough resources to go round but for that to happen would mean the lucky 10% at the top (which will include the majority on TVF), giving up some of their luxuries so that the worst off can have the basics. I am afraid to say that that just isn't human nature.

[ThaiUser]

5 months into 2015---& More than 1,750 migrants perished in the Mediterranean since the start of the year -

I would like to know what country most of the contributors that are having another, Lets all kick Thailand actually come from.

Somtamnication ---is proud enough to show us his English flag while telling us just how Buddha would react from his grave ....maybe he would like to reflect on his countries statements & actions over the last week-

Rescue boats? I’d use gunships to stop migrants, NO, I don’t care. Show me pictures of coffins, show me bodies floating in water, play violins and show me skinny people looking sad.--sun newspaper-Today http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/suncolumnists/katiehopkins/6414865/Katie-Hopkins-I-would-use-gunships-to-stop-migrants.html Theresa May says NO to taking 60,000 economic migrant boat people from north Africa--BRITAIN will fight European Union plans to accept tens of thousands more refugees from North Africa. Daily Express today

Of course there is slight difference between the immigrants dying at sea to escape their country--& the ones driven out by persecution in Myanmar,

Somtamnication counrty, --"Britain"as the poodle of the USA -helped cause the situation in the former. Thailand didn't have a hand in the latter.

I agree with you that not Thailand is alone when it comes to migrants and their treatment. Most posters on this forum seem to have lost contact with their home countries and the situation migrates have to face there. In the eastern part of Germany migrants have been attacked and killed. Recently a home for asylum seekers (Germany grants all people this status if they apply for it until their cases have been reviewed) has been set on fire.

In France the police actively seem to let steam off when meeting migrants on the road to Calais and I have posted the link to the article and video below. In Italy are reported incidents involving attacks on migrants and these three countries are not alone. Migrants and their treatment have become a global problem but for the posters here it seems to be a singularity that only exists in Thailand.

Still it doesn’t make the treatment right they experienced in the past and I certainly don’t condone what is happening to them now. My stance on the situation is that we should show more compassion and instead of making life more difficult for the migrants; and people I have spoken too agree with me.

What I don’t need are people telling me that I don’t care and have no empathy and that this applies to every other Thai or that we are a race of people that values money more as it values lives. If that is the case I wonder why they are still in Thailand and don’t move to another country or home if the world is so wonderful perfect there?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/13/french-police-video-calais-migrants

http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2015/may/13/calais-migrants-french-police-video

15 hours ago ... Calais migrants 'attacked by French police' – video. Video posted ... French police watchdog investigates video of alleged abuse of Calais migrants. Published: ...

More than 1,000 migrants are sleeping rough in an open-air shanty town known as the “new jungle” after state authorities pushed them away from the city centre to a patch of wasteland seen as a “tolerated zone”.

[cookee68]

Well they were illegal, regardless of the circumstances, I wish the UK would adopt this method

[dazzz]

I am a bit confused here . Are they illegal imigrants or refugees claiming asylum ?

What is the difference ?If they are fleeing their country because of persecution by the burmese government/army surely they are refugees and have the right to claim political asylum under international law.

I am not an expert on this but i am sure there are lots on tv that are , perhaps they could clarify the difference ?

dazzz

[ExPratt]

Why don't they "Transfer" them

[ExPratt]

It just shows how clueless they really are , Jail the Victims and transfer the perpetrators.

Edited May 15, 2015 by ExPratt

[LuckyLew]

Rtp once again showing their true colors, i guess since they can no longer profit from them thet might as well charge then and make believe they r doing theor jobs