Thai PM deploys carrier to act as migrant processing centre

[webfact]

Thai PM deploys carrier to act as migrant processing centre
AFP

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has deployed a helicopter carrier in its waters to serve as a temporary medical and processing centre for migrants found adrift, its prime minister said Monday.

The move came as the United States offered to launch reconnaissance flights over the Bay of Bengal to locate any remaining vessels, with thousands of Bangladeshi and Myanmar boat people still believed to be stranded at sea.

Thailand is hosting a May 29 regional meeting on a crisis that has seen more than 3,500 Bangladeshi economic migrants and stateless Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar arrive on Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian soil.

All three countries, as well as Myanmar and Bangladesh, have come under international pressure either to provide immediate humanitarian relief to the migrants or address the root causes of their journeys.

The Thai carrier will act as a "floating base with medics and police" on board, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha told reporters.

"If any boats (with migrants) are found, the navy will lead it to this large navy vessel for assistance," he said adding Thailand will then "facilitate" their passage to "temporary shelters in Malaysia and Indonesia".

"If anyone is injured or sick, they can be treated at hospitals in Thailand but will face illegal entry charges -- it is up to them to decide."

A navy official told AFP the vessel was a helicopter carrier.

The UN estimates 2,000 migrants are still at sea on poorly supplied boats after a May 1 crackdown on human trafficking in Thailand paralysed the route south, apparently leading people-smugglers to abandon ships crammed with human cargo.

The US embassy in Bangkok said America was "actively engaging with the governments of the region to obtain their support and permissions" for flights over the seas to spot stricken migrant boats.

But Prayut, a former army chief who leads the ruling junta, said any US missions would have to be conducted with Thai forces.

"We have started our operation, if they (the US) want to join, they can... (but) they cannot control the operation, we have to have sovereignty over both land and sea."

On Monday Malaysian police said they had found 139 grave sites and 28 abandoned detention camps used by people-smugglers in a border area close to where Thailand's discovery of mass graves in May sparked the unravelling of trafficking routes.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-05-26

[webfact]

IRREGULAR MIGRATION
Navy to set up 'floating rescue base' in Andaman: PM
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND will organise a "floating naval base" with a task force to take care of boat people in the Andaman Sea.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday the task force would be made up of medical staff, police and related officials.

"I have already assigned the Navy to take to the border line of the sea to act like a floating naval base," Prayut said.

In the event of Rohingya being found in vessels, they would be taken to the ship, where medical staff would take care of them. If they were sick, they would be treated. After that they would be sent to shelters provided for them in Indonesia and Malaysia, he said.

The PM stressed that Thailand would stick to its stance and send Rohingya or other migrants to destinations where they want to go.

The Air Force will also fly patrols - and coordinate patrols by planes from other countries - |over the sea to look for vessels |carrying "boat people".

"We agreed to a request by the US to help by having its planes patrol in the areas. Any country could do the same as the US but they have to be under our supervision because it is our area. They will not independently patrol - they have to work with our task force," the prime minister said.

He also hit out at a CNN news report that claimed threats of |violence and guns were used to force a vessel with Rohingya out of Thai waters.

"How can we do that? Thailand has been helping them for a long time according to humanitarian principles. We are Buddhists, we consider every life matters.

"In treating the migrants, we did not divide the whole family, [to just] the sick ones. We took photos of every step for use as evidence. The media should not make a groundless allegation, as it will tarnish the country's reputation," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Navy-to-set-up-floating-rescue-base-in-Andaman-PM-30260919.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-26

[webfact]

PM Prayut ask reporters to avoid showing Thailand in a bad light



BANGKOK, 26 May 2015 (NNT) - The Prime Minister is asking reporters to avoid present any story that will show Thailand in a bad light.

Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha said that the solutions to the Rohingya problem do need collaboration from the origin of the issue to the transit countries and the final destinations as well as related international organizations.

Gen. Prayut also asked members of the press not to report any story that will tarnish the reputation of Thailand and make the international community misunderstand about how the country has been treating the boat people.

He insisted that Thailand has been treating everyone equally and offering all humanitarian assistances the boat people should need before they were handed over to such destination countries as Indonesia and Malaysia.

The PM added that both the Royal Thai Navy and the Royal Thai Air Force will be patrolling over Thai waters while standing ready with a large and fully-equipped vessel as a preliminary migrant relief effort.


-- NNT 2015-05-26

[NongKhaiKid]

Don't show Thailand in a bad light ! The backbone of so much of official policy and attitude.

The PM may be able to control the local media and keep the story away from most of the public but he can do nothing about the international coverage which, from what I've seen, isn't complimentary.

[BSJ]

That seems like a good solution. Once they have their full compliment they can sail right back up to Rakhine state and drop off the lot of them back were they should be anyway.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Don't show Thailand in a bad light and for god sake don't rent out your boats to foreigners so they can dig up the real truth about our slavery business. Welcome to the world of "Thainess"

[ezzra]

They should have deployed that rust bucket, barnacle laden aircraft carrier the Chakri Naruebet

that been sitting idle for so many years, she can also be used for a floating market to pay for

her up keeps....

[khwaibah]

Its the HTMS Ang Thong which is a landing ship not a carrier. Bangkok Post front page.

[NongKhaiKid]

They should have deployed that rust bucket, barnacle laden aircraft carrier the Chakri Naruebet

that been sitting idle for so many years, she can also be used for a floating market to pay for

her up keeps....

Probably problems getting the engines to start and too expensive to use.

Anyway it's needed in port as a backdrop for all the photographs featuring the top brass etc.

[casualbiker]

Ezzra and NKK. ANY up to date pictures of the rust bucket,barnacle laden aircraft carrier?

I'm pretty sure it's actually run out to sea every month but I could be mistaken!

[FireMedic]

I'll have to say, they finally found a good use for the aircraft carrier. Since it won't ever actually hold aircraft, boat people will do.

[casualbiker]

Its the HTMS Ang Thong which is a landing ship not a carrier. Bangkok Post front page.

It would seem to be the perfect vessel.. Large landing area capable of carrying two medium helicopters. And a huge loading bay with boat access.

[casualbiker]

Picture

[tbthailand]

The Prime Minister is asking reporters to avoid present any story that will show Thailand in a bad light.

there he goes again....

moron.

[NongKhaiKid]

Ezzra and NKK. ANY up to date pictures of the rust bucket,barnacle laden aircraft carrier?

I'm pretty sure it's actually run out to sea every month but I could be mistaken!

If there are pictures of the carrier they will have been taken by a Thai.

I remember reading a letter in the BP from a foreigner who went with his family to a open day at Sattahip and as soon as he produced his camera to take all the obligatory poses was stopped by naval personnel who said foreigners were not permitted to photograph in military facilities.

[whatawonderfulday]

PM Prayut ask reporters to avoid showing Thailand in a bad light

BANGKOK, 26 May 2015 (NNT) - The Prime Minister is asking reporters to avoid present any story that will show Thailand in a bad light.

Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha said that the solutions to the Rohingya problem do need collaboration from the origin of the issue to the transit countries and the final destinations as well as related international organizations.

Gen. Prayut also asked members of the press not to report any story that will tarnish the reputation of Thailand and make the international community misunderstand about how the country has been treating the boat people.

He insisted that Thailand has been treating everyone equally and offering all humanitarian assistances the boat people should need before they were handed over to such destination countries as Indonesia and Malaysia.

The PM added that both the Royal Thai Navy and the Royal Thai Air Force will be patrolling over Thai waters while standing ready with a large and fully-equipped vessel as a preliminary migrant relief effort.

-- NNT 2015-05-26

This moron can't help himself can he. He is the worst culprit for showing Thailand in bad light, every time he opens his mouth the brain disengages.

[Strangebrew]

Well He is doing that all By himself so don't hog the spotlight.

[ronwparker]

PM Prayut ask reporters to avoid showing Thailand in a bad light

BANGKOK, 26 May 2015 (NNT) - The Prime Minister is asking reporters to avoid present any story that will show Thailand in a bad light.

Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha said that the solutions to the Rohingya problem do need collaboration from the origin of the issue to the transit countries and the final destinations as well as related international organizations.

Gen. Prayut also asked members of the press not to report any story that will tarnish the reputation of Thailand and make the international community misunderstand about how the country has been treating the boat people.

He insisted that Thailand has been treating everyone equally and offering all humanitarian assistances the boat people should need before they were handed over to such destination countries as Indonesia and Malaysia.

The PM added that both the Royal Thai Navy and the Royal Thai Air Force will be patrolling over Thai waters while standing ready with a large and fully-equipped vessel as a preliminary migrant relief effort.

-- NNT 2015-05-26

[ronwparker]

the general is tying to save face and Thailand's xenophobic heartlessness is already well known

[h90]

They should have deployed that rust bucket, barnacle laden aircraft carrier the Chakri Naruebet

that been sitting idle for so many years, she can also be used for a floating market to pay for

her up keeps....

Isn't the rust carrier in the gulf and the illegal immigrants in the andaman?

[h90]

the general is tying to save face and Thailand's xenophobic heartlessness is already well known

I think when it is about letting radical Muslims illegally into the country, most western people are also xenophobic heartless people.

Even Malaysia is so heartless to not let in Saudi religion teacher....

[FireMedic]

The Prime Minister is asking reporters to avoid present any story that will show Thailand in a bad light.

God forbid he'd ask people to stop doing crap to embarrass the country and hold them accountable if they did.

[captspectre]

Don't show Thailand in a bad light ! The backbone of so much of official policy and attitude.

The PM may be able to control the local media and keep the story away from most of the public but he can do nothing about the international coverage which, from what I've seen, isn't complimentary.

treating everyone equally? what about the re-education camps? what are they for? what about that parasite that ran away to the temple to become a "monk" even though he had numerous charges against him for terason, inciting and other charges? and he is worried about thailand being shown in a bad light?

[heybuz]

i don't know if i read this correctly but did he say people can be treated in thai hospitals but will be charged with illegal entry,ohhh

[cumgranosalum]

I expect this measure will be shown to be out of line with international law.........if Thailand ever signed up for that in the first place.

50 million displaced people in the world today; does Thailand really think they are doing their fair share?

Edited May 26, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[oneday]

"...Thailand will then "facilitate" their passage to "temporary shelters in Malaysia and Indonesia"..."

"If anyone is injured or sick, they can be treated at hospitals in Thailand but will face illegal entry charges -- it is up to them to decide."

No critical thinking skills or compassion whatsoever. However Thailand has come, I'd say, about 75% of the way to doing the "right thing" only because of international pressure. These people will no longer be pushed back into the open ocean to fend for themselves and perish (yea!). However, Thailand still refuses to allow these unclean, less than human detritus to touch their precious soil. I will grant using this carrier was a good idea.

Let's look at the second one. I have wondered, every time I read it, just what it means to "face illegal entry charges"? Does it mean Thai authorities will take them to court and then jail and thus the migrants will now arguably be in better conditions than being left to die in the ocean and on top of this Thailand must now spend money on them to house, feed and provide medical care anyway. I haven't once read in any article what it means to "face illegal entry charges".

[DoctorG]

i don't know if i read this correctly but did he say people can be treated in thai hospitals but will be charged with illegal entry,ohhh

You did read it correctly. Apparently, if you are ill you need to choose between dying or receiving hospital care, and then being charged as an illegal.

[thhMan]

Im actually happy that Thailand is being shown for the disgrace it is...

Maybe, things will start changing for the better... It cant continue along the path it has currently been for centuries... Its no longer 1715.. its 2015 (or the thai version of it)

VIVA Social Networks !!!!

[heybuz]

i don't know if i read this correctly but did he say people can be treated in thai hospitals but will be charged with illegal entry,ohhh

You did read it correctly. Apparently, if you are ill you need to choose between dying or receiving hospital care, and then being charged as an illegal.

[kiwikeith]

I'll have to say, they finally found a good use for the aircraft carrier. Since it won't ever actually hold aircraft, boat people will do.

Big face saving exercise! about time better than nothing, but I heard on Euro News approx. 800 bodies in graves just discovered near Thai/ Malaysia border.