Thai govt denies firing shots to deter Rohingya boats away

[webfact]

Thai government denies firing shots to deter Rohingya boats away



BANGKOK, 21 May 2015 (NNT) - The Thai government has insisted the Royal Thai Navy did not fire shots to deter a boat load of Rohingyas away from entering the Thai territory.

Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd claimed the Thai government has a non-violence policy when it deals with issues surrounding Rohingyas.

One Rohingya, who made it to Indonesia, reportedly accused Thailand of firing guns to prevent his boat from reaching the Thai territory on May 14th.

The Deputy Spokesperson added that every soldier, who was on duty on the same day, has purported that none of them had threatened the boat with guns.

According to them, the Rohingya refugees did not wish to reach Thailand and asked the navy soldiers for food and water. They even helped the refugee fix the boat’s engine.

The Major General added later that the Thai government will stay on course with its policy and treat the Rohingyas as illegal migrants according to the law if they enter Thailand.

However, if they were found beyond the Thai waters, they would be given basic needs such as food and water.


-- NNT 2015-05-21

[webfact]

Thai Navy Denies Threatening Rohingya Boat With Guns
By Khaosod English


A boat of abandoned refugees from Myanmar found by reporters and naval officers off the coast of Satun province on 14 May 2015. [Photo: Royal Thai Navy]

BANGKOK — The Royal Thai Navy has denied threatening to shoot at a boat of Rohingya refugees in Thai waters last week, a government spokesperson said.

A 23-year-old passenger on the boat told AP yesterday that Thai naval officers towed the ship out to sea, and then threatened to shoot if they returned. After being rejected by several countries in the region, the rickety and overcrowded boat carrying hundreds of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar arrived in Aceh, Indonesia yesterday.

"The government and the navy would like to reject this completely baseless news," Maj.Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesperson of the Thai Prime Minister's Office, said today. “It also made the Navy, who is dedicated in its works to help fellow humans and defend the maritime sovereignty of the nation, very sad."

He told reporters that he has personally spoken to every Naval officer involved in the encounter, and that each one denied the allegation.

Maj.Gen. Sansern also reiterated that the ship’s passengers told Navy officers they wanted to continue to a third country.

Thailand will continue its policy of providing humanitarian aid to boats bound for other nations, but treat any migrants who land Thai shores as illegal immigrants, he said.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1432179976


-- Khaosod English 2015-05-21

[webfact]

Thailand says shooting threat accusation is a pain but humanitarian assistance will continue



BANGKOK: -- Thailand today rejected as groundless claim by a Rohingya migrant aboard a vessel that landed in Indonesia's Aceh province last week that the Thai navy threatened to shoot at the migrants' vessel if it didn't leave.

“This is a painful accusation with no ground,” said a government spokesman this morning.

The statement by Government spokesman Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd came as a Rohingya migrant told a foreign news media in Aceh that the Thai navy threatened to shoot at their vessel.

The accusation was reported by AP from Aceh that quoting a Rohinya migrant, Sirajul Islam, who was
among several hundred migrants brought to shore in Indonesia on May 14.

The migrant said their ship was earlier chased away by the Thai navy after being provided with food and drinks.

He says that the Thai navy, after giving them provisions, pushed the boat away “within 10 minutes, otherwise they would shoot our ship,” AP quoted the migrant as saying.

The 23-year-old also says he saw for himself “how 10 of us, including women and children, died of starvation” while being stranded on the boat for months.

The Thai navy said earlier it has been providing help to the migrants, but that most of them did not want to land in Thailand and insisted on going to Malaysia, AP said.

But today Maj Gen Sansern dismissed the claim saying Thailand has made clear its stance that it would not resort to any pattern of violence in tackling illegal migration problem.

Instead Thailand adheres strictly to the humanitarian principles.

As far as concerned authorities have checked with navy personnel operating aboard the vessel on that night, none of them have behaved as what the migrant has accused.

Instead, he said all navy personnel were instructed to ask the migrants if their boats were sighted in the Thai waters.

He recalled on the night that this vessel was spotted, they were asked where they wanted to go and were told that they had no wish to land in Thai shore and they asked for food and water.

He said they were provided with food and water, and also were helped by Thai navy to repair their broken vessel.

“If we resort to threat as he accused, we don’t need to ask them or give them assistance and mended their broken ship throughout that night” he said.

The Thai government felt this unfounded accusation a pain, he said.

“Such groundless accusation did hurt the Thai navy personnel and they felt regret for it as they have devoted to work for humanitarian sake”, Maj Gen Sansern said.

However the spokesman added that despite of the accusation that has put the country at risk of misunderstanding among international communities, Thailand will not change its humanitarian actions in dealing with the illegal migrants.

(Photo : Thai PBS File)

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/thailand-says-shooting-threat-accusation-is-a-pain-but-humanitarian-assistance-will-continue


-- Thai PBS 2015-05-21

[bangkokfrog]

This article raises two questions:

1. Did Thai soldiers / sailors fire shots at this boat? Probably not as it seems that only one "witness" from among the hundreds of people on the boat has come forward.

2. Would Thai soldiers / sailors fire on such a boat if they thought they could get away with it? Ah... er... let me get back to you on that one !

[xtof2]

Between a Rohingya and a military head, who would you believe.

Military never lies, right?

[Carl64]

They will say anything to get in .

[taony]

We asked all our soldiers, none of them did it --> ok must be true then

They didn't want to land in Thailand ---> right , they all wanted to stay on the boat and continue suffering

[Guest]

This article raises two questions:

1. Did Thai soldiers / sailors fire shots at this boat? Probably not as it seems that only one "witness" from among the hundreds of people on the boat has come forward.

2. Would Thai soldiers / sailors fire on such a boat if they thought they could get away with it? Ah... er... let me get back to you on that one !

Happy to get back to your when you return from remedial reading class:

"Threatened to"

Edited May 21, 2015 by Guest

[Guest]

We asked all our soldiers, none of them did it --> ok must be true then

They didn't want to land in Thailand ---> right , they all wanted to stay on the boat and continue suffering

"The boat people are primarily Bangladeshis fleeing poverty, and Rohingya Muslims escaping ethno-religious persecution in Myanmar. Most are seeking to settle in Muslim-majority Malaysia or Indonesia ..."

[swifty5x5]

It would be my guess that nobody in the Thai Navy even speaks Rohingya or Bangali.

[Guest]

This is plausible and perfectly OK since a sovereign nation has the right to repel any ship or plane knowingly trespassing beyond their border.

I imagine something along the lines of,

We gave you food, water and fixed your broken motor. Now let me inform you that we accept that you crossed our boundary by accident ...

Now, start that motor, point your ship away from our boundary, and do not come back ... we have the right to shoot you next time ... do not push your luck or test my patience.

Bye Bye, Ciao, Log-On.

[Guest]

Associated Press: http://time.com/3891541/rohingya-myanmar-asia-boat-people/

(WASHINGTON) — The United States is willing to take in Rohingya refugees as part of international efforts to cope with Southeast Asia’s stranded boat people, the State Department said Wednesday.

Spokeswoman Marie Harf said that the U.S. is prepared to take a leading role in any multicountry effort, organized by the United Nations refugee agency, to resettle the most vulnerable refugees.

In the past three weeks, more than 3,000 people — Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar and Bangladeshis trying to escape poverty — have landed in overcrowded boats on the shores of various Southeast Asian countries. Aid groups say thousands more are stranded at sea after human smugglers abandoned their boats because of a crackdown by authorities.

Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been reluctant to let the Rohingya in and have turned boats full of hungry, thirsty people away, because they fear a flood of unwanted migrants. But on Wednesday, they relented.

[winstonc]

This is plausible and perfectly OK since a sovereign nation has the right to repel any ship or plane knowingly trespassing beyond their border.

I imagine something along the lines of,

We gave you food, water and fixed your broken motor. Now let me inform you that we accept that you crossed our boundary by accident ...

Now, start that motor, point your ship away from our boundary, and do not come back ... we have the right to shoot you next time ... do not push your luck or test my patience.

Bye Bye, Ciao, Log-On.

correct fix that broken motor ..disabled by the smugglers and send them on there way...have heard a report as yet of the smugglers fleeing in another boat..or did they do this themselves...anyone know

[flyingdoc]

Some real and actual; facts, please !

[winstonc]

This is plausible and perfectly OK since a sovereign nation has the right to repel any ship or plane knowingly trespassing beyond their border

Edited May 21, 2015 by winstonc

[captspectre]

Thai Navy Denies Threatening Rohingya Boat With Guns

By Khaosod English

A boat of abandoned refugees from Myanmar found by reporters and naval officers off the coast of Satun province on 14 May 2015. [Photo: Royal Thai Navy]

BANGKOK — The Royal Thai Navy has denied threatening to shoot at a boat of Rohingya refugees in Thai waters last week, a government spokesperson said.

A 23-year-old passenger on the boat told AP yesterday that Thai naval officers towed the ship out to sea, and then threatened to shoot if they returned. After being rejected by several countries in the region, the rickety and overcrowded boat carrying hundreds of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar arrived in Aceh, Indonesia yesterday.

"The government and the navy would like to reject this completely baseless news," Maj.Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesperson of the Thai Prime Minister's Office, said today. “It also made the Navy, who is dedicated in its works to help fellow humans and defend the maritime sovereignty of the nation, very sad."

He told reporters that he has personally spoken to every Naval officer involved in the encounter, and that each one denied the allegation.

Maj.Gen. Sansern also reiterated that the ship’s passengers told Navy officers they wanted to continue to a third country.

Thailand will continue its policy of providing humanitarian aid to boats bound for other nations, but treat any migrants who land Thai shores as illegal immigrants, he said.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1432179976

-- Khaosod English 2015-05-21

I'm with the Thai's on this! Thailand can't even take care of it's own country people much less let in a bunch of "MIGRANT" people. migrant means people looking for work! much like the mexicans in california.

[klauskunkel]

"The government and the navy would like to reject this completely baseless news," Maj.Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesperson of the Thai Prime Minister's Office, said today. “It also made the Navy, who is dedicated in its works to help fellow humans and defend the maritime sovereignty of the nation, very sad."

We can't have a sad Navy, that's just too pathetic to contemplate. This leaves only one course of action: sue the Rohingyas for defamation and tarnishing and littering.

[DM07]

Really astonishing how many dumb, idiotic, heartless and vile comments you get on the Rohinga- subject!

...and TVF- comments are even worse!

[ZABA]

“It also made the Navy........... very sad."

:-(

Soldiers or kindergardeners?l

Edited May 21, 2015 by ZABA

[bristolgeoff]

they are right not to let them in,just look at other countries the uk is one and full.the eu is full too so let them go back to there own country is better.

[pandip]

We asked all our soldiers, none of them did it --> ok must be true then

They didn't want to land in Thailand ---> right , they all wanted to stay on the boat and continue suffering

No, all they want's to settle in Thailand without legal permission and to exploit their population so as they can demand separate nation in future same as they are doing in Myanmar and Thai navy is just trying to keep them away.

What happen if somebody will try to enter in your home without your permission or illegally , will you allow them or push them back. Here Thai navy is providing them assistance to keep their journey continue to another destination but even if they try to enter in Thailand, Thai navy should shoot them also, as everybody has right to save their own home.

[pandip]

they are right not to let them in,just look at other countries the uk is one and full.the eu is full too so let them go back to there own country is better.

But they don't want to go back to their own country because there they will not get free water, food and other facilities which they can get here as refugees.

Also another reason they don't want go back because their own country Bangladesh (originally) don't want them back.

Thai navy must not allow them to enter otherwise in future they will do same, as now they are doing in Myanmar.

[FangFerang]

The headline is no surprise. The Thai government is till denying reports from several news agencies outside Thailand that the Thai Navy was all in for the human trafficking network.

The headline should have been "If you can't enslave 'em -- shoot 'em! Yee hah!"

[Prbkk]

they are right not to let them in,just look at other countries the uk is one and full.the eu is full too so let them go back to there own country is better.

But they don't want to go back to their own country because there they will not get free water, food and other facilities which they can get here as refugees.

Also another reason they don't want go back because their own country Bangladesh (originally) don't want them back.

Thai navy must not allow them to enter otherwise in future they will do same, as now they are doing in Myanmar.

It cannot be said that this is a simple matter of return to Bangladesh. These people have been in Myanmar for 100 years and several generations. They have no ties to Bangladesh. The solution has to involve resettlement and/or a change of attitude in Myanmar ( and most notably from the treacherous vixen who should be handing back her peace prize before it is withdrawn).

[LivinLOS]

they are right not to let them in,just look at other countries the uk is one and full.the eu is full too so let them go back to there own country is better.

Yes because giving free housing, healthcare, medical, education, etc etc is exactly the same as allowing people to work and pay taxes.

[dcutman]

Thai navy should shoot them also, as everybody has right to save their own home.

You would shoot somebody that came on to your property that was starving or dying of dehydration and in need of help?

[peecee]

There's not many humanitarians on TV!

[steven100]

Thailand as any other sovereign nation has a right to protect it's borders from illegal boat people wherever they come from. Why do countries have border protection practices in place ? not for the fun of it thats for sure. It's there to ensure there is no illegal entry into the country .... correct .

[oneday]

Everyone who believes this, please raise your hands and point to the pigs flying overhead.

[Oziex1]

There's not many humanitarians on TV!

I wonder how many of these terrible bigots are living in Thailand?