Thai police to prosecute abandoned migrants

Cake Monster · May 15, 2015

How much more sick and depraved can Thailand become ?.

For many, many years, the fat cats in Thailand have used illegal immigrants in there business,s to construct housing, operate machines in their factories, and work the fields, not just in the fishing industry. In fact, I would go as far as to say that much of the wealth of the country has been built on this labour.

Now that the world has an open eye on the country, the Thais are saying " we dont want this scum on our land - not our problem ", and are setting these poor souls adrift in overcrowded boats with a bag of rice and a " chokdee".

Many of these people set adrift, will meet certain death from storms, malnutrition Etc Etc., and the Authorities know this

Thailand is a beautiful country, but sometimes shows its really dark, and sinister underbelly.

Shame on you Thailand - shame on you

arrowsdawdle · May 15, 2015

I was hoping, I was missing something in the OP.

But judging by the reaction of all who posted before me...I didn't!

What a disgrace!

Disgrace? How about business as usual? Xenophobia at work. Expats, tourists, and migrants are cut from the same cloth in Thailand.

Edited May 15, 2015 by arrowsdawdle

arrowsdawdle · May 15, 2015

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

Yeah, no Thai would do such a thing...and there is no trafficking in LOS, it is the fault of those pesky Burmese again invading the country of supreme ethnicity.

BestBitterPhuket · May 15, 2015

They cause immense suffering by starving, enslaving, torturing, raping and killing these people AND they profit on them. And now the police wants to prosecute them? This is proof that the efforts in combating human trafficking is only half hearted and a confirmation of what all knew that the Thai police are pure evil.

DM07 · May 15, 2015

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.

Okay...I'll bite at your stupid comparisson: your roof is leaking because you are such a lazy bummer, not able to built a safe house with a good roof?

And my house looks so awesome, because I am just an able housebuilder, who made such a lot of money with honest work to get the best material for his house?

And now you see all my well- deserved wealth and you just come over to grab your undeserved share?!

Or is it more the case, that I came over to your property, enslaved your family, took all your money and resources and when I cleaned you out, I left you with basically nothing and left you, to fend for yourself, with what I left you with e.g. an effed up property, stripped of everything?!

2fishin2 · May 15, 2015

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.

The US military tie with Thailand is minimal at best.

Praematura · May 15, 2015

USA is tired of being THE county everyone turns to for a military solution. We did that in Afghanistan and the Chinese companies benefitted the most. Iraq pretty much the same with Iranians running the show.

ASEAN needs to deal with their own shit, how the USA has the remotest security interest in this issue has yet to materialize.

ExPratt · May 15, 2015

I was reading somewhere about The Immigration detention centers a lot worse than prison apparently, so are they going to put theses poor sods in their for a few years

I think prosecuting them in a civilized country with a fair and balanced , independent Judiciary would be thrown if not laughed out of court All I imagine they would have to say is they brought against their will to Thailand and held, when they were supposed to be taken to Malaysia or anywhere but not here

Charging them with "Illegal entry" could be rebuked in , again, a civilized country because they were brought in under duress

Edited May 15, 2015 by ExPratt

ggold · May 15, 2015

We trafficked you.

We ransomed you.

We enslaved you.

We killed you.

Now

We will gaol you.

You are not us.

You don't matter.

The traffickers litany.

The ~~traffickers~~ governments litany.

sunshine51 · May 15, 2015

"Thai police to prosecute abandoned migrants"...

If this isn't a kick in the balls I don't know what is.

rametindallas · May 15, 2015

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.

Okay...I'll bite at your stupid comparisson: your roof is leaking because you are such a lazy bummer, not able to built a safe house with a good roof?

And my house looks so awesome, because I am just an able housebuilder, who made such a lot of money with honest work to get the best material for his house?

And now you see all my well- deserved wealth and you just come over to grab your undeserved share?!

Or is it more the case, that I came over to your property, enslaved your family, took all your money and resources and when I cleaned you out, I left you with basically nothing and left you, to fend for yourself, with what I left you with e.g. an effed up property, stripped of everything?!

Or is it more the case, that I came over to your property, enslaved your family, took all your money and resources and when I cleaned you out, I left you with basically nothing and left you, to fend for yourself, with what I left you with e.g. an effed up property, stripped of everything?!

Is that what Thailand did to ~~Burma~~ Myanmar? When? Thai people must censor my US published history books and the entire INTERNET because nowhere can I find any reference to Thailand exploiting the country of Burma. They do exploit Burmese that illegally come to Thailand and try to work, but that is not why Burmese people in Burma are so poor. Yes, the British exploited Burma's natural resources but left an infrastructure, and systems of government, education, administration, buildings, infrastructure, etc. (all those things that the British were so good at) but the later Burmese governments rejected those things as 'foreign' and reverted back to their old ways. Now who are you going to blame for the plight of the Burmese people in Burma? "Out of the frying pan and into the fire" seems apropos to those that put their and their families lives in the hands of people smugglers. The other idiom is, "You pays your money and you takes your chances" referring to involving one's self in risky ventures. Thais may be involved in people smuggling, along with Malaysians and Burmese, but this situation is not of Thailand's making. I condemn the people smugglers; not Thailand. People smuggling is a plague on the Earth and Thailand's criminal organizations are amateurs compared to European people smugglers. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmigrationpolicy.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fpublications%2FBadActors-ShelleyFINALWEB.pdf&ei=em9VVcGoFuTjsASYtIHgCw&usg=AFQjCNFOnI2iVz4E7lTd9fl3QGI4KC_Omg&sig2=q4DnPS0JU5Opw8GUvl3aTw

No, I come from the poor part of town and I was born into poverty and never given an example of how to build my own part of town up and never had enough money to build a suitable house, so I decided to come to your house, which is much nicer and in a better part of town, because you were born into better circumstances than I. That's what your post that I was responding to suggested I do; just bring my family and move in with you who, by fate, was raised with more and better opportunities than I. I'm just following your advice.

ThaiUser · May 15, 2015

I was reading somewhere about The Immigration detention centers a lot worse than prison apparently, so are they going to put theses poor sods in their for a few years

I think prosecuting them in a civilized country with a fair and balanced , independent Judiciary would be thrown if not laughed out of court All I imagine they would have to say is they brought against their will to Thailand and held, when they were supposed to be taken to Malaysia or anywhere but not here

Charging them with "Illegal entry" could be rebuked in , again, a civilized country because they were brought in under duress

You should perhaps read more about the problems and abuse migrants are subjected to in other parts of the world and how courts deal with them there. Certainly not an excuse for what is going on but it might change your view on how ‘civilised’ countries treat these people. Detention centres in the UK have been recently in the focus of public attention and sexual abuse, beatings that might constitute torture and other despicable matters have been brought to the attention of the public. By the way, the government of the UK has stepped back from the responsibility to look after and keep migrants detained and handed that to private security firms and they do it for the profit; easier to shift blame and also a good excuse when a blind eye has been turned to violations of human rights issues or criminal offences.

luk AJ · May 15, 2015

What shocks me; pushing a boat back to the sea with 300 people aboard.nothing can justify this action. What disgusts me even more is that the small hope of setting up refugee camps in the south was heavily protested by the locals. Knowing both are moslim says something about their attitude as well!

toybits · May 15, 2015

I guess, the real message here is shut up or something worse is going to happen to you.

ExPratt · May 15, 2015

The Un is classing them as Refugees fleeing persecution

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32747616

The UN refugee agency has called for countries in the region to co-ordinate a search and rescue operation for some 8,000 migrants it says are trapped on boats in the area.

Some in Washington asked the US government to consider providing humanitarian assistance, and exert pressure on allies in the region to accept more refugees.

"These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of ASEAN,'' said Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley, referring to the regional block in Southeast Asia that Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Burma are all a part of

ThaiUser · May 15, 2015

The Un is classing them as Refugees fleeing persecution

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32747616

The UN refugee agency has called for countries in the region to co-ordinate a search and rescue operation for some 8,000 migrants it says are trapped on boats in the area.

Some in Washington asked the US government to consider providing humanitarian assistance, and exert pressure on allies in the region to accept more refugees.

"These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of ASEAN,'' said Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley, referring to the regional block in Southeast Asia that Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Burma are all a part of

"These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of ASEAN,''

Maybe his judgement when making his comment was clouded as his decision in 2002 to vote in support of the war against Iraq, who knows?

ExPratt · May 15, 2015

The Un is classing them as Refugees fleeing persecution

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32747616

The UN refugee agency has called for countries in the region to co-ordinate a search and rescue operation for some 8,000 migrants it says are trapped on boats in the area.

Some in Washington asked the US government to consider providing humanitarian assistance, and exert pressure on allies in the region to accept more refugees.

"These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of ASEAN,'' said Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley, referring to the regional block in Southeast Asia that Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Burma are all a part of

"These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of ASEAN,''

Maybe his judgement when making his comment was clouded as his decision in 2002 to vote in support of the war against Iraq, who knows?

Yeah true enough, but don't forget everyone in our countries US and UK were lied to about WMDs and a Legitimate threat and imminent attacks and links to 9/11. But back to the point I was more pointing out that the UN were getting involved rather than the US. Did you read the whole article ?

ThaiUser · May 15, 2015

The Un is classing them as Refugees fleeing persecution

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32747616

The UN refugee agency has called for countries in the region to co-ordinate a search and rescue operation for some 8,000 migrants it says are trapped on boats in the area.

Some in Washington asked the US government to consider providing humanitarian assistance, and exert pressure on allies in the region to accept more refugees.

"These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of ASEAN,'' said Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley, referring to the regional block in Southeast Asia that Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Burma are all a part of

"These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of ASEAN,''

Maybe his judgement when making his comment was clouded as his decision in 2002 to vote in support of the war against Iraq, who knows?

Yeah true enough, but don't forget everyone in our countries US and UK were lied to about WMDs and a Legitimate threat and imminent attacks and links to 9/11. But back to the point I was more pointing out that the UN were getting involved rather than the US. Did you read the whole article ?

Yes I did and again I am very angry as Thai what has happened in the south of my country to this people and I am not happy about how the situation is handled. However I am not in government and most of the Thai people too have no say in that matter. Still, whatever done the blame is placed right on our front doors and all Thais are blamed for it according to commentators at the TV.

If you were not told the truth about the WMD that lead to the war, why are the liars not prosecuted and in prison? When it comes to Thailand, commentators here have no problems what should happen to the police, high officials or members of the government and the question of guilt is not addressed because all Thais have to take the blame and the punishment, if I do read the comments correctly.

The UN has issued statements too that challenge the actions of the US on her border to Mexico and the situation about migrants in Europe. Of course they get less attention because we are talking about civilised countries compared to Thailand that seems in the eyes of the commentators to be a cesspool of barbarity full of people that are out to finish a ‘genocide’ (one of the words used in a comment) that has been started by others.

I only ask for a bit of fairness that avoids using generalisations that are only made to hurt all Thai people. By all means blame what you see wrong and place the blame at the right place but relentlessly putting all Thai in the same basket will not help the situation but only make it worse.

ExPratt · May 15, 2015

The Un is classing them as Refugees fleeing persecution

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32747616

The UN refugee agency has called for countries in the region to co-ordinate a search and rescue operation for some 8,000 migrants it says are trapped on boats in the area.

Some in Washington asked the US government to consider providing humanitarian assistance, and exert pressure on allies in the region to accept more refugees.

"These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of ASEAN,'' said Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley, referring to the regional block in Southeast Asia that Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Burma are all a part of

"These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of ASEAN,''

Maybe his judgement when making his comment was clouded as his decision in 2002 to vote in support of the war against Iraq, who knows?

Yeah true enough, but don't forget everyone in our countries US and UK were lied to about WMDs and a Legitimate threat and imminent attacks and links to 9/11. But back to the point I was more pointing out that the UN were getting involved rather than the US. Did you read the whole article ?

Yes I did and again I am very angry as Thai what has happened in the south of my country to this people and I am not happy about how the situation is handled. However I am not in government and most of the Thai people too have no say in that matter. Still, whatever done the blame is placed right on our front doors and all Thais are blamed for it according to commentators at the TV.

If you were not told the truth about the WMD that lead to the war, why are the liars not prosecuted and in prison? When it comes to Thailand, commentators here have no problems what should happen to the police, high officials or members of the government and the question of guilt is not addressed because all Thais have to take the blame and the punishment, if I do read the comments correctly.

The UN has issued statements too that challenge the actions of the US on her border to Mexico and the situation about migrants in Europe. Of course they get less attention because we are talking about civilised countries compared to Thailand that seems in the eyes of the commentators to be a cesspool of barbarity full of people that are out to finish a ‘genocide’ (one of the words used in a comment) that has been started by others.

I only ask for a bit of fairness that avoids using generalisations that are only made to hurt all Thai people. By all means blame what you see wrong and place the blame at the right place but relentlessly putting all Thai in the same basket will not help the situation but only make it worse.

Bush and Blair said they had been mislead also by inaccurate intelligence reports which is nonsense , but try and prove it.

The Generalizations probably not meant to be offensive , many of us have Thais wife's and kids. But the Generalizations are probably aimed at the Hierarchy in these cases Police , Immigration officials ect and corrupt individuals and if what has happened was allowed to go ahead by people of influence for profit , then you have to admit their is something wrong somewhere

I'm sure the UN have spoken out about many , many countries conduct in the past UK, US Israel ,France ect etc

When i Put up the article about the UN it wasn't to "Shame" Thailand it was to show the UN are getting involved and help those poor people,

2fishin2 · May 15, 2015

The topic of this thread in case we forget "Thai police to prosecute abandoned migrants." You prosecute criminals such as the people who arrange this all. You prosecute the mules and boat owners. You DO NOT PROSECUTE the victims i.e. abandoned migrants. You take care of these people.

As far as picking on Thailand....lets not forget about the Thai and Burmese slave fishermen who were abandoned on the islands by their own people Thai fishermen. Everyday in the news are articles about the THAI SLAVE TRADERS abandoning people on other islands in Phang Na, or the jungles of Phuket. YES Thailand you are a MAJOR problem! HOWEVER, its all of ASEAN that shares this responsibility.

DM07 · May 15, 2015

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.

Okay...I'll bite at your stupid comparisson: your roof is leaking because you are such a lazy bummer, not able to built a safe house with a good roof?

And my house looks so awesome, because I am just an able housebuilder, who made such a lot of money with honest work to get the best material for his house?

And now you see all my well- deserved wealth and you just come over to grab your undeserved share?!

Or is it more the case, that I came over to your property, enslaved your family, took all your money and resources and when I cleaned you out, I left you with basically nothing and left you, to fend for yourself, with what I left you with e.g. an effed up property, stripped of everything?!

Or is it more the case, that I came over to your property, enslaved your family, took all your money and resources and when I cleaned you out, I left you with basically nothing and left you, to fend for yourself, with what I left you with e.g. an effed up property, stripped of everything?!

Is that what Thailand did to ~~Burma~~ Myanmar? When? Thai people must censor my US published history books and the entire INTERNET because nowhere can I find any reference to Thailand exploiting the country of Burma. They do exploit Burmese that illegally come to Thailand and try to work, but that is not why Burmese people in Burma are so poor. Yes, the British exploited Burma's natural resources but left an infrastructure, and systems of government, education, administration, buildings, infrastructure, etc. (all those things that the British were so good at) but the later Burmese governments rejected those things as 'foreign' and reverted back to their old ways. Now who are you going to blame for the plight of the Burmese people in Burma? "Out of the frying pan and into the fire" seems apropos to those that put their and their families lives in the hands of people smugglers. The other idiom is, "You pays your money and you takes your chances" referring to involving one's self in risky ventures. Thais may be involved in people smuggling, along with Malaysians and Burmese, but this situation is not of Thailand's making. I condemn the people smugglers; not Thailand. People smuggling is a plague on the Earth and Thailand's criminal organizations are amateurs compared to European people smugglers. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmigrationpolicy.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fpublications%2FBadActors-ShelleyFINALWEB.pdf&ei=em9VVcGoFuTjsASYtIHgCw&usg=AFQjCNFOnI2iVz4E7lTd9fl3QGI4KC_Omg&sig2=q4DnPS0JU5Opw8GUvl3aTw

No, I come from the poor part of town and I was born into poverty and never given an example of how to build my own part of town up and never had enough money to build a suitable house, so I decided to come to your house, which is much nicer and in a better part of town, because you were born into better circumstances than I. That's what your post that I was responding to suggested I do; just bring my family and move in with you who, by fate, was raised with more and better opportunities than I. I'm just following your advice.

Thais have made their money by trafficing these people, by "owning them"" as slaves on their trawlers, by trading them...

Actually in your comparrison you don't have a house, because your "friendly" neighbors or landlords come around regularly, burn your house down and throw you into concentration camp -like places until you are so desperate, that you nearly do anything to even get to my doorstep and ask for help!

...which of course I deny you, because you are not my problem!

Or I shove you in a shed in my garden, with 300 others until I can sell you to some guy with a fishing boat...and you might die because of "diseases"...

That is, how your comparrisson should really look like!

But with people like you, it always the victim who is at fault!

Because you have done sooooooo much...and these "poor souls" couldn't pull themselves up bu their own bootstraps, so...eff them and sad day all around!

luk AJ · May 15, 2015

The Un is classing them as Refugees fleeing persecution
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32747616

The UN refugee agency has called for countries in the region to co-ordinate a search and rescue operation for some 8,000 migrants it says are trapped on boats in the area.

Some in Washington asked the US government to consider providing humanitarian assistance, and exert pressure on allies in the region to accept more refugees.

"These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of ASEAN,'' said Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley, referring to the regional block in Southeast Asia that Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Burma are all a part of

"These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of ASEAN,''

Maybe his judgement when making his comment was clouded as his decision in 2002 to vote in support of the war against Iraq, who knows?

Yeah true enough, but don't forget everyone in our countries US and UK were lied to about WMDs and a Legitimate threat and imminent attacks and links to 9/11. But back to the point I was more pointing out that the UN were getting involved rather than the US. Did you read the whole article ?

Yes I did and again I am very angry as Thai what has happened in the south of my country to this people and I am not happy about how the situation is handled. However I am not in government and most of the Thai people too have no say in that matter. Still, whatever done the blame is placed right on our front doors and all Thais are blamed for it according to commentators at the TV.

If you were not told the truth about the WMD that lead to the war, why are the liars not prosecuted and in prison? When it comes to Thailand, commentators here have no problems what should happen to the police, high officials or members of the government and the question of guilt is not addressed because all Thais have to take the blame and the punishment, if I do read the comments correctly.

The UN has issued statements too that challenge the actions of the US on her border to Mexico and the situation about migrants in Europe. Of course they get less attention because we are talking about civilised countries compared to Thailand that seems in the eyes of the commentators to be a cesspool of barbarity full of people that are out to finish a ‘genocide’ (one of the words used in a comment) that has been started by others.

I only ask for a bit of fairness that avoids using generalisations that are only made to hurt all Thai people. By all means blame what you see wrong and place the blame at the right place but relentlessly putting all Thai in the same basket will not help the situation but only make it worse.

Bush and Blair said they had been mislead also by inaccurate intelligence reports which is nonsense , but try and prove it.

The Generalizations probably not meant to be offensive , many of us have Thais wife's and kids. But the Generalizations are probably aimed at the Hierarchy in these cases Police , Immigration officials ect and corrupt individuals and if what has happened was allowed to go ahead by people of influence for profit , then you have to admit their is something wrong somewhere

I'm sure the UN have spoken out about many , many countries conduct in the past UK, US Israel ,France ect etc

When i Put up the article about the UN it wasn't to "Shame" Thailand it was to show the UN are getting involved and help those poor people,

in this case generalization is not misplaced. These refugees are refused by their own kind to get temporary shelter in the south. Where are the wissles and flags when real people are getting pushed back to the sea??

ThaiUser · May 15, 2015

luk Thaivisa # 82

Nice cut and paste job but not clear what’s the point? Two comments made by members of this board but they clearly don’t tell the whole story since previous comments on the article are part of that exchange too without being repeated in the two comments.

Johnny S · May 15, 2015

Disgrace for Thailand but unfortunately I doubt if thais can even see that it is so so wrong to prosecute slaves ... The World looks on in disbelief - is that really what Thainess is about: kicking poor and unfortunate people that have already suffered due to the incompetence of thai Authorities ... they no doubt get a cut of it as usual - hope CNN etc. keep on focusing on this so people can stay away from this hidious place

btw post #21 is so stupid its hard to take serious ...!

Edited May 15, 2015 by Johnny S

Oziex1 · May 15, 2015

There are many threads on the subject of people trafficking by Thais and others in SE Asia.

Lets not lose focus on what this is all about.

The unbelievably cruel treatment of these people from the prejudice in Myanmar that drives them out, to the criminal brutality of the Thai captors to the bewildering indifference of the official agencies who drive them back to the sea to continue a voyage to nowhere.

This is about the total lack of respect and empathy of members of the human race towards other members of the same species.

We are supposed to be advanced, we are not!

jackanapes · May 16, 2015

I find this hard to believe the police prosecuting migrants what do they hope to achieve I find this bloody stupid cant they find something better to do than harras the poor migrants .

Thongkorn · May 16, 2015

this is Just sick , i hope this comes back and bites Thailand's Government hard.

soalbundy · May 17, 2015

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”.

Congratulations on your standard of English, you seem to be one of the few Thai's that took their education seriously.

ThaiUser · May 17, 2015

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”.

Congratulations on your standard of English, you seem to be one of the few Thai's that took their education seriously.

Thanks, 20 years in the UK have given me the education I missed out on in Thailand where I left school when I was 14 years old.

wabothai · May 18, 2015

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

play out in the world media ???

There simply is no concept of there being something outside Thailand.

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