Irregular migration: US planes may fly out of Phuket or U-Tapao

[webfact]

IRREGULAR MIGRATION
US planes may fly out of Phuket or U-Tapao
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND is considering letting the United States use Phuket Airport or U-Tapao in Rayong as a base for planes assigned to monitor the movement of migrants stranded on surrounding seas.

The Foreign Ministry is reviewing the request," Supreme Commander General Worapong Sa-nganet said yesterday.

Thailand is setting up the Operation Centre for Patrol and Humanitarian Assistance to Irregular Migrants in the Indian Ocean (OCPHAM) to liaison with the international community in extending help any refugees set adrift, he said.

Foreign Minister Tanasak Patimapagorn said the Thai side had asked the US to provide more details on its proposed mission. The US would have to conduct its operations under the supervision of OCPHAM, as they would be undertaken over Thai territory.

"I wish to emphasise that Thailand has not yet rejected the request. It's a good request but we have to take national security into consideration," he said.

The US has been asked to dispatch its warships to support a floating naval base that will be set up to help migrants found at sea.

"We accept assistance from international organisations in the form of necessities at our request, not cash, as that could possibly lead to problems."

Cabinet yesterday approved the military's operations off the Andaman Coast to help Rohingya and other migrants at sea on humanitarian grounds, a deputy government spokesman said.

OCPHAM will involve land patrols by the Army in border areas, maritime patrols by the Navy and mid-sea relief and medical operations, plus patrols by the Air Force over Thai waters in the Andaman Sea, Maj-General Weerachon Sukhonpatiphak said. All international relief agencies taking part in all assistance programmes would be granted permission to carry out activities in Thai waters and on Thai soil, he said.

The Third Naval Area Command, which is responsible for the Andaman Sea, issued a statement detailing its operations, which would involve 600 personnel, seven patrol and landing vessels, two planes and two helicopters, Vice Admiral Sayant Prasongsamrej told the press at his command headquarters in Phuket.

Worapong said OCPHAM started yesterday and would run for two weeks or until further notice.

The HTMS Ang Thong, a large amphibious landing ship capable of holding many people, is joining the fleet. One doctor and two nurses would be on all seven ships. Serious patients will be sent to inland hospitals by helicopter, he said.

General Sujin Iam-pee, a senior official at the Internal Security Operations Command, said all migrants would be escorted by military personnel and police if dispatched from mid-sea platforms to inland shelters. They would be processed by local immigration offices and repatriated.

Thailand is now "holding" 779 new migrants since the exposure of the human trafficking tragedy earlier this month and paying for their meals, he said.

In Ranong, Satun and Songkhla, 6,846 residents are participating in a scouts scheme started by police to watch for migrants or illegal entrants, a source said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/US-planes-may-fly-out-of-Phuket-or-U-Tapao-30261013.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-27

[NongKhaiKid]

And when best new friend China suggests the flights will be used to monitor the situation in the Sth. China Sea ?

[ezzra]

And when best new friend China suggests the flights will be used to monitor the situation in the Sth. China Sea ?

Well, this will be an added bonus to US, as a golden opportunity have presented it self here

to be able to do both good things.. after all, somebody has to keep those pesky Chinese in check....

[Suffinator]

"We accept assistance from international organisations in the form of necessities at our request, not cash, as that could possibly lead to problems."

Yeah too many sticky fingers.

[oneday]

"...THAILAND is considering letting the United States use Phuket Airport or U-Tapao in Rayong as a base for planes assigned to monitor the movement of migrants stranded on surrounding seas..."

That is mighty big of you Thailand to "consider" this. We are so humbled by your "consideration".

[Barin]

And when best new friend China suggests the flights will be used to monitor the situation in the Sth. China Sea ?

Well, this will be an added bonus to US, as a golden opportunity have presented it self here

to be able to do both good things.. after all, somebody has to keep those pesky Chinese in check....

http://latestnewsresource.com/en/news/tailand-potreboval-ot-ssha-vyvesti-s-phuketa-voinskij-kontingent

Command of the armed forces of Thailand has asked the Pentagon for five days to withdraw from the island of Phuket aircraft of the U.S. air force and soldiers who took part in antisubmarine exercises Guardian Sea, which ended on 20 may. It is reported on Sunday, may 24, Bangkok Post, citing a source in the Ministry of defence of Thailand.

Washington has repeatedly asked the Thai military to provide Phuket airport as a base for carrying out rescue operations at sea Rohingya representatives of the Muslim people in Myanmar who were forced to flee the country due to harassment by Buddhists.

The army and air force Thailand, according to the publication, rejected the request of the Americans giving instructions to withdraw the aircraft and military personnel from Phuket to 29 may.

The position of Bangkok, according to the newspaper, due to the constant pressure that Washington has on the authorities of the Kingdom of trafficking. The Ministry of defence of Thailand also fear that the U.S. will intervene in politics in Bangkok against refugees, known as Rohingyas.

The reason for the conflict between Buddhists and Rohingya in Myanmar has become the rape and murder of women-be gentle in June 2012. The collision involved a radical monks extremists who view Muslims as a threat to the state.

Only one week of may this year on the shores of Malaysia and Indonesia landed more than three thousand migrants from Myanmar. The office of the UN high Commissioner for refugees, during the first three months of 2015 at the court of smugglers sat 25 thousands of Bangladeshis and Rohingya — twice more than in the same period in 2014.

[khwaibah]

"...THAILAND is considering letting the United States use Phuket Airport or U-Tapao in Rayong as a base for planes assigned to monitor the movement of migrants stranded on surrounding seas..."

That is mighty big of you Thailand to "consider" this. We are so humbled by your "consideration".

10 to 1 the US tells Thailand to stuff it.

[luckytrev]

"...THAILAND is considering letting the United States use Phuket Airport or U-Tapao in Rayong as a base for planes assigned to monitor the movement of migrants stranded on surrounding seas..."

That is mighty big of you Thailand to "consider" this. We are so humbled by your "consideration".

10 to 1 the US tells Thailand to stuff it.

Oh No, don't do that! Gambling is illegal here.

[TerryLH]

"10 to 1 the US tells Thailand to stuff it."

Why would the US do that? They're probably the ones who asked to use one of those facilities.

[geriatrickid]

And when best new friend China suggests the flights will be used to monitor the situation in the Sth. China Sea ?

It will not happen.

The Chinese know where US air assets are based for surveillance, and the Chinese are quite capable of understanding a map.

Thailand isn't a convenient location from which to run surveillance operations in territory that overlaps, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and Vietnam. The Philippines is the ideal location from which to base flights, and that is what is being done, with Brunei an additional point.

[Srikcir]

Speaking of the Junta's new partner in national security China, notice it is SILENT with any offers to assist the stateless boat peoples?

China is only interested in foreign nation's sovereignty and it has Thailand well under control.

Albeit the Chinese might use the boat people for naval target practice if they enter the Sea of China.

[HappyinNE]

"10 to 1 the US tells Thailand to stuff it."

Why would the US do that? They're probably the ones who asked to use one of those facilities.

Sure it cuts the flight time to the area being searched and results in more on station time. By the way the US is already flying out of Malaysia. Seems Malaysia is more efficient in decision making.

[harrry]

"...THAILAND is considering letting the United States use Phuket Airport or U-Tapao in Rayong as a base for planes assigned to monitor the movement of migrants stranded on surrounding seas..."

That is mighty big of you Thailand to "consider" this. We are so humbled by your "consideration".

Another airfield such as Krabi as Phucket is way over capacity allready. And oneday despite what the US thinks it has no right to do what it wants in other peoples space.

[FangFerang]

Seven doctors and 14 nurses to assist 3000 malnourished, dehydrated and desperate people. Wow! And they say there is no compassion in PM Prayuth.

Thanks for showing your true colors.

[Strangebrew]

Besides I just saw the USS Ronald Reagan pass by Subic bay today. And those satellites work so much better.

[Strangebrew]

"...THAILAND is considering letting the United States use Phuket Airport or U-Tapao in Rayong as a base for planes assigned to monitor the movement of migrants stranded on surrounding seas..."

That is mighty big of you Thailand to "consider" this. We are so humbled by your "consideration".

Another airfield such as Krabi as Phucket is way over capacity allready. And oneday despite what the US thinks it has no right to do what it wants in other peoples space.

First of all they asked permission to use the airfield firstly they didn't demand only offered to assist not lead So get off your high Thai horse before saying something.