Rohingya are illegal migrants, not refugees: Thai Army Chief

[pandip]

Many men, women and children may die while trying to escape persecution. Thailand and other nations in se Asia should be ashamed of themselves.

I don't know why they should ashamed. If you look in history than will find that these are the people those fled from Bangladesh during Bangladesh liberation war to neighbouring countries. At that time they were about few thousands and were refugees but than they increased population drastically to hundreds of thousand. Now the time they call them self as Myanmar people and wants all rights as local which has created conflicts between local and these refugees.

In fact these people must to return to their home land Bangladesh instead to create riots and crime in Myanmar.

Now as Myanmar refused to give them citizenship they are coming to South east countries as refugees. If these countries will allow them to come , than after 10-20 years they will do same as they are doing now in Myanmar.

So these countries must to think about their own citizens future and send back these illegal migrants.

[TerrylSky]

"The people who stay there fled from wars, because there are conflicts in Myanmar with minorities, and they cannot find a solution," Gen. Udomdet said. "But for the Rohingyas, let me explain that it is different issue, because it is about people who entered the country illegally."

Jesus Christ. Doesn't he read the Bangkok Post? The Rohingyas have been suffering slave labor, rapes, and murders for years many running and swimming across the river to decrepit Bangladesh refugee camps for their lives. "This is about people who entered the country illegal…" …of course they entered illegally; they are not recognized by their own country therefore don't have any i.d., they are on the run having been evicted from their own homes and property, and with bayonets in their asses. Where is the Thai "mee jai dee" buddhist compassion - and the U.S. humanitarians? The atrocities going on there match that in Rwanda and ISIS territory - but there is no oil there I guess.

[micmichd]

Like "mice on Viagra", lol

Both Burma and Bengal were part of the British East India once, and it was the British that invented hunger death in this region.

[pandip]

Many men, women and children may die while trying to escape persecution. Thailand and other nations in se Asia should be ashamed of themselves.

Don't think so, the military have seen what happens in Europe and elsewhere when these Islamics decide to go where they want for a better life or perhaps to cause further mayhem. My view, they either go back and be good citizens (good luck) or let some other local Islamic country take 'em in (good luck again).

Absolutely right , why Malaysia and Indonesia refused to take them, because they are Islamic country and don't want more. And if Thailand will allow them than again these refugees will increase population without thinking , how they will feed their new generation? And once they will be in big number than will call for separate nation, same as Myanmar.

So send them back to their own nation without any mercy.

[micmichd]

Like "mice on Viagra", lol

Both Burma and Bengal were part of the British East India once, and it was the British that invented hunger death in this region.

Don't panic, take your shower and relax. You live in a junkie economy, but maybe there's a way out for a little while.

Sharia law is not only cutting off hands, there's Civil Sharia law, too. It's not so bad after all.

And you can still go to Thailand I guess.

[Linzz]

Oh why, oh why can't all the liberal do-gooder w*nk*** in the EU think like this.... Illegal immigrant has now become "migrant"

The majority being young men unable to apply for migration due to lack of funds, qualifications of language ability. Send them home... Surely trying to bypass correct procedure and application is a crime..

Or maybe I should paddle a canoe to Monaco who's standard of living is higher than what I'm used to.. Figure they will grant me asylum ?

You have clearly read widely and thought deeply about the plight of the Rohingya.Your insight and compassion are deeply moving.You have also touched on a point that the woolly minded liberals often forget, namely that the Rohingya are but one of several ethnic groups that form part of the Myanmar nation, and thus respected and cherished by all their fellow countrymen.After all it's not as though they are subject to the kind of treatment that would make them think about seeking asylum elsewhere.Unlike the gullible Indonesian and Malaysian governments, our wise Thai leaders understand that the very few Rohingya found in Thai waters are in fact on a cruising holiday with a schedule of resort stopovers that doesn't happen to include any ports in Thailand.Sometimes slight navigational errors are made and the Royal Thai Navy is happy to provide these high end tourists with a helpful push out to sea again.

Genius sarcasm! Well said

[metisdead]

Some nonsense posts in bold font have been removed:

Forum Netiquette

1. Please do not post in all capital letters, bold, unusual fonts, sizes or colors. It can be difficult to read.

[MadDog2020]

Finally, a chance for the "We have the solution for everything holier than thou mighty Farang!!" ... to walk the walk!

May I kindly inquire why I am not seeing a single suggestion that they are picked up and transported to ... your country of origin?

Oh my, it must be such a luxury to be far outside the range of the tiny boats out on that wide ocean.

It must be so easy to just "call and raise" .. when no one will ever ask to see YOUR cards.

Funny though, get one of you in a pub, and ask about the immigrants in your countries, and you wanna "Nuke em' all"

I do not endorse what is happening. i am not in favor of women and children suffering this way. I do not know the solution.

Oh, wait .. I DO know the solution.

Send the American, British and Australian navies to find, rescue and send these people to the USA, UK and Oz.

What's that? Not a good idea?

Fine by me. Do they want to go there?

Why not China? Russia? Iran? Or Syria?

[Bluespunk]

They are illegal immigrants unless they apply for asylum for reasons of persecution. That is the way it works everywhere .... The UK ... the EU ... the USA ... everywhere.

Though I sympathize with their plight, I understand the reluctance of a non Muslim country to bring in Muslim immigrants. The behavior of Muslim minorities in the Philippines, Bali, Europe, the USA, the UK, Australia (need I go on?) lean towards violence and extremism inside the host country.

The social contract we make if we are an expat or immigrant is to abide by the laws of the land and respect the social and cultural norms of the host country. Not all Muslims, but fundamentalist Muslims believe Islam and Sharia supersede the laws and social norms of the country they choose to live in. Furthermore, this is encouraged and funded by Islamist in other Islamic countries.

Exactly the good General is a brave man who is putting the rights & interests of his countrymen first before those of unwanted illegal immigrants.

Muslims belong in Muslim countries and should be forwarded to Malaysia & Indonesia.

Lets hope your warped logic isn't applied to all faiths and non faiths.

Why are they warped ideas ?? It is a fact that the Muslims ask for help and after receiving it they then cause trouble. When they burn our flags and bibles that is ok if someone burns a Koran the whole Muslim world is in uproar.

Everything and I mean everything has to be done to accommodate them but they put Islam first and their host country second. Name more than one Christian country that does not allow freedom of worship. Now make a list of Muslim countries !!!!!!!

Nonsense for most of your post.

Why would you want to burn any religious text. Try that with most if not all faiths and the fanatics will come out of the woodwork.

Final paragraph: I've lived in Muslim countries in Africa and Middle East.

All allowed Christian worship.

Edited May 20, 2015 by Bluespunk

[50baht]

The game here is that the Thai authorities are trying to use humanitarian assistance as a bargaining chip with the EU over the fishing ban.

[Linzz]

As callous as it seems, it would appear that all countries are in favor of giving them food, water & medicine and sufficient fuel so they can return to where they came from, be that Myanmar or Bangladesh. It was mentioned on the news that some Myanmar migrants were telling UNHCR officials they were Rohingya refugees so they would qualify for aid assistance.

And now the Phillipines has announced the same will apply should any boats arrive in it's waters.

It is the correct thing to do as letting them in would send the message that any arrivals by boat will be taken care of. This would have 100,s of thousands turn up in days. This is simply not the solution.

As shown by Thailand and other countries ... assist and help them in a humanitarian way with food, water & all the essentials.

Next step would be to go after the smugglers and kill them. This will stop further boats coming and also assist those in need now.

Are you still a human being or are you a brainwashed completely dumbed down clown ???

Steven100 as I said yesterday you cannot return them to Myanmar if they have effectively been evicted from their own country.

[Escapologist]

Some of the attitudes on here are disgusting. Boats full of human beings are drifting out at sea desperate and hungry and some of the attitude is "so what, they are Muslims they deserve it" you do know it is the Rohingya that are victims of brutal prejudice in Burma right? Think before you Start spitting your ignorant, racist bile. And Yes I would take them into the uk where despite similar attitudes multi-culturism works.

Multiculturalism has failed in the UK, that much has even been admitted by the head of the "Equalities and Human Rights Commission" although, even without the recently exposed decades-long mass drugging and sexual exploitation of English kids by gangs of Muslim men, this has been obvious to most of us for a long long time. With so many thousands of casualties in the South of Thailand, I can't see that opening the border to potentially nearly a million Muslims will sit well with many Thai citizens. It has been a disaster in England and the Thais would be wise to learn lessons from that. The greatest enemy England faces is the cultural Marxist left and Thailand doesn't seem to have been sufficiently infiltrated by that crowd, yet....

[Usual Suspect]

Thailand yet again is in the spotlight...& yes again many would say for the wrong reasons.

If I was a nation considering trading/doing business with this country..I think I'd be having doubts.

Now can the Gen not see this thru' all his Thainess..?

Would it not be much better to be seen by the world's press to be piling up the decks of these old fishing boats with food, drinking water & medical supplies, PLUS let's see the navy boarding their boats & putting up shading from the fierce sun for them..the photos of the Thai Navy doing this MAY claw back an ounce or two of credit...which the L.o.S. is now sadly lacking... big-style.

[Linzz]

They are illegal immigrants unless they apply for asylum for reasons of persecution. That is the way it works everywhere .... The UK ... the EU ... the USA ... everywhere.

Though I sympathize with their plight, I understand the reluctance of a non Muslim country to bring in Muslim immigrants. The behavior of Muslim minorities in the Philippines, Bali, Europe, the USA, the UK, Australia (need I go on?) lean towards violence and extremism inside the host country.

The social contract we make if we are an expat or immigrant is to abide by the laws of the land and respect the social and cultural norms of the host country. Not all Muslims, but fundamentalist Muslims believe Islam and Sharia supersede the laws and social norms of the country they choose to live in. Furthermore, this is encouraged and funded by Islamist in other Islamic countries.

Always always when there is a humanitarian crisis politics or race or religion or some excuse is wheeled out why victims should not be helped immediately and it always is pass the buck because it is someone else's responsibility. Damn it these people need rescue food water and medical aid NOW !!! the details can be worked out later

[Lee4Life]

So if I am fleeing a war I am a refugee, but if I am fleeing persecution I am an illegal immigrant. Some of the posters also seem to think that because they have paid someone to assist them in fleeing this makes them illegal immigrants...so if they would have fled without paying for assistance then they would be refugees?

[JDGRUEN]

People who are whining about the plight of these boat people should read a little and take notice -- they are paying fairly large sums of money to get on the boat... they are economic illegal aliens ... they are not refugees.

And anyone who thinks Thailand is going to settle more Muslims in Thailand - you are smoking dope... it is not going to happen.

Interesting that all the rich Muslim Mid East Countries -- The Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, etc... who are known for hiring South East Asians as near slave labor -- do not see these boat loads of Muslims as potential replacements for hiring non Muslims .... OH --- but they would have to keep them -- not send them home as they do now ....

[Linzz]

Where dose it all ends? you have those tens of thousands who migrated or tried to migrate to Australia

over the last 10 years, you have the hundred of thousands north African who swarm over Italy

and countries near by, and now this Rohinga problems that are really the responsibilities of the

Burmese government,

if the world will leave the gates open, all of Africa and many third world countries will want to migrate

to a rich, first world countries.. where dose it stop or end???

Xenophobia rules!

[Linzz]

As callous as it seems, it would appear that all countries are in favor of giving them food, water & medicine and sufficient fuel so they can return to where they came from, be that Myanmar or Bangladesh. It was mentioned on the news that some Myanmar migrants were telling UNHCR officials they were Rohingya refugees so they would qualify for aid assistance.

And now the Phillipines has announced the same will apply should any boats arrive in it's waters.

It is the correct thing to do as letting them in would send the message that any arrivals by boat will be taken care of. This would have 100,s of thousands turn up in days. This is simply not the solution.

As shown by Thailand and other countries ... assist and help them in a humanitarian way with food, water & all the essentials.

Next step would be to go after the smugglers and kill them. This will stop further boats coming and also assist those in need now.

Are you still a human being or are you a brainwashed completely dumbed down clown ???

From a humanitarian point of view, what I have suggested is the most practical & common sense way of dealing with the current situation.

What would you have happen .. ? let them all in .. ? Then you'd really have a mess.....

It is obvious that from all the comments I have read the majority by far agrees with what I mentioned, and that was care for them now, food , water , medicine & fuel and send them back and kill the traffickers.

What do you want ? I bet your suggesting thailand take them .... !! a foolish choice for sure. imo.

You can't send them back to where they come from, Myanmar won't even speak their name

[JDGRUEN]

So if I am fleeing a war I am a refugee, but if I am fleeing persecution I am an illegal immigrant. Some of the posters also seem to think that because they have paid someone to assist them in fleeing this makes them illegal immigrants...so if they would have fled without paying for assistance then they would be refugees?

There is no universal right to go to any country one wishes to ... No universal right to emigrate to another country ... The other country has a right not to accept them...

The Traffickers are luring these economic migrants ... Get rid of the traffickers and the boat people stay at home. Get rid of the traffickers ,,, treat the illegal aliens with humane care ... return them to where they came from and sink the boat.. Do this 100 times - 200 times and the boats will stop because they will run out of boats...

Send plane loads of pamphlets over the coast lines of Myanmar and Bangladesh -- with harsh information that all boat people will be turned back ... that the Traffickers are going to steal their money, hold them for ransom, rape the women and boys and abandon ship leaving them stranded.

After a while there will be no more boats.

[Linzz]

Many men, women and children may die while trying to escape persecution. Thailand and other nations in se Asia should be ashamed of themselves.

then why dont they go to a muslim islamic country ( malaysia ) and not a buddist country, all you liberalist fools are aware that wherever muslims go they spread only hatred and try to impliment their laws and ways on other cultures , when they have the majority we will all be done. these people started the trouble in burma and created the trouble for themselves , good on the burmese bhuddist people for not tolerating it ( wish we were same in europe ) .

Islamophobia rules

[nzexpat]

Some of these comments are interesting but the posters do not reveal their own nationalities or their feelings about mass, unregulated "migration" into their countries of origin .

Lets learn about about mass immigration into Europe (especially Italy) , the UK , France, Spain and lets not forget the USA which is still building a fence to deter "illegals" !

Do these countries welcome the "enrichment" which hordes of poorly educated , unskilled people bring ?

Your opinions/views will be welcome

Edited May 20, 2015 by nzexpat

[TheFishman1]

The General shows how Thais think no surprise

[Linzz]

Many men, women and children may die while trying to escape persecution. Thailand and other nations in se Asia should be ashamed of themselves.

Not "may", will.

Otherwise you are perfectly correct.

May will and have

[pmugghc]

It's easy to blame Burma, but it seems some 500,000 Rohingas came to Burma from Bangladesh 1971-1973 according to the Wiki article linked above. This is one paragraph:

"From 1971 to 1973, the Bangladesh Liberation War and its accompanying genocide saw an exodus of ten million Bengali Muslims to neighboring countries. A large number of refugees settled in northern Rakhine and to a smaller extent in Chin State. In 1975, Bangladesh Ambassador to Burma, Khwaja Mohammed Kaiser admitted that there were upward of 500,000 trespassers in Arakan whom Burma had some rights to eject".

So the claim all of the their families have been living there for 1,000 of years may not be true.

Edited May 20, 2015 by pmugghc

[janpharma]

I just don't understand why all those moslim immigrants from Burma and or Africa don't appeal to their "rich brother countries" such as Saoudi Arabia...The richest in the world!!! Why don't they interfer to help THEIR " moslim brothers"...??? Why it all has to come from Europe and /or Thailand...???

[bazza40]

All this touchy - feely stuff ignores facts:

When you introduce any refugee/illegal immigrant ( call them what you will ) population into another culture, you are going to have problems.

A case in point - a considerable number of Somalis were allowed to settle in Victoria, Australia. A complete moron of a Police Commissioner, operating on spin, declared Somalis were under-represented in the crime statistics. The opposite was the true situation, due to the lawlessness in Somalia.

Another case in point - a Muslim community in Melbourne demanding segregated swimming sessions for their women in public baths to preserve their modesty. The authorities surrendered. My response - if you want segregated facilities, pay for them yourself.

I really would like to see these passionate refugee advocates accept the same refugees into their own households, so they can put their money where their mouth is.

Much better if the refugees devote their energies to gaining fair treatment in the country of their origin.

[2alex4alex]

They are illegal immigrants unless they apply for asylum for reasons of persecution. That is the way it works everywhere .... The UK ... the EU ... the USA ... everywhere.

Though I sympathize with their plight, I understand the reluctance of a non Muslim country to bring in Muslim immigrants. The behavior of Muslim minorities in the Philippines, Bali, Europe, the USA, the UK, Australia (need I go on?) lean towards violence and extremism inside the host country.

The social contract we make if we are an expat or immigrant is to abide by the laws of the land and respect the social and cultural norms of the host country. Not all Muslims, but fundamentalist Muslims believe Islam and Sharia supersede the laws and social norms of the country they choose to live in. Furthermore, this is encouraged and funded by Islamist in other Islamic countries.

Exactly the good General is a brave man who is putting the rights & interests of his countrymen first before those of unwanted illegal immigrants.

Muslims belong in Muslim countries and should be forwarded to Malaysia & Indonesia.

Does that include the predominantly Muslim Phuket and Krabi? Do they all have to be sent to countries away from where they were born and where they have never been or wanted to go? Do Christians belong only in Christian countries too?

Tell me about Christians living in Muslim countries and making problem there...

[Local Drunk]

This country can't do anything other but implode on itself. There existed the perfect opportunity for the Juanta to look right in the eyes of the western world and they blew it.

[Linzz]

Mobile Content ,we in Australia dont need anymore bludging welfare seeking illegals in this country ...

Send them back to where they came from , we dont need them bring their bad habits and islamic terror to our shores .

There is already to many of them here now .

What an ambassador for Australia! Another one who doesn't realize you cannot send them back to where they come from when they have been evicted from their own country.

Yes and we know how well Australians have treated their own indigenous people in the past,they were sport and were shot like dogs. I wonder with all your worldly wisdom you could ever reach the level of Tan Le !

Tan Le entered Australia as a refugee in 1982 and was named Young Australian of the Year in 1998.

[Local Drunk]

They are illegal immigrants unless they apply for asylum for reasons of persecution. That is the way it works everywhere .... The UK ... the EU ... the USA ... everywhere.

Though I sympathize with their plight, I understand the reluctance of a non Muslim country to bring in Muslim immigrants. The behavior of Muslim minorities in the Philippines, Bali, Europe, the USA, the UK, Australia (need I go on?) lean towards violence and extremism inside the host country.

The social contract we make if we are an expat or immigrant is to abide by the laws of the land and respect the social and cultural norms of the host country. Not all Muslims, but fundamentalist Muslims believe Islam and Sharia supersede the laws and social norms of the country they choose to live in. Furthermore, this is encouraged and funded by Islamist in other Islamic countries.

Exactly the good General is a brave man who is putting the rights & interests of his countrymen first before those of unwanted illegal immigrants.

Muslims belong in Muslim countries and should be forwarded to Malaysia & Indonesia.

Does that include the predominantly Muslim Phuket and Krabi? Do they all have to be sent to countries away from where they were born and where they have never been or wanted to go? Do Christians belong only in Christian countries too?

Tell me about Christians living in Muslim countries and making problem there.

Yes, it a bit of me and my three and no more.