Only five out of the forty deported individuals will be available for a meeting led by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham.
PUBLISHED: March 18, 2025
Thai cabinet ministers are on their way to the Xinjiang region of China to engage with some of the Uyghurs deported last month. However, only five of the forty individuals sent back will be accessible for the meeting, according to government announcements.
The deportation occurred during a covert operation on February 27, 2025, ignoring warnings from United Nations human rights experts about risks of torture and ill-treatment upon their return.
This action has sparked criticism from several western nations, including the United States, which recently imposed visa sanctions on unnamed Thai officials. Additionally, the European Parliament condemned Thailand and urged the European Union to leverage free trade negotiations to avert similar incidents in the future.
Human rights organizations have accused Beijing of serious abuses against the Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group with approximately 10 million members in the Xinjiang area. The Chinese government denies these claims, asserting that western nations are spreading misinformation.
The delegation, consisting of Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechachai, Justice Minister Taweee Sodswong, high-ranking military officials, and several media representatives, is headed to Kashi in Xinjiang for the meeting. According to government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub, they will receive a briefing from Xinjiang authorities before visiting the deported Uyghurs. The delegation is expected to return to Thailand on Thursday.
Thailand has stated that it received assurances from China regarding the treatment of the Uyghurs after their return.
No Hidden Agenda
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham, also serving as defense minister, indicated that Thailand anticipates meeting only five of the deported Uyghurs, along with one additional individual from a group sent back a decade earlier, all part of a larger group of 300 Uyghurs who fled China and were apprehended in Thailand in 2014.
“The government aims to demonstrate Thailand’s integrity and clarify there was no hidden agenda or refugee deportation,” stated Mr. Jirayu.
In related remarks, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry characterized the visit as a “normal exchange of friendly relations” between China and Thailand.
Recent reports suggested that Canada and the United States expressed willingness to resettle the Uyghurs returned to China, but Thai officials feared diplomatic repercussions with Beijing. Thailand maintains that no formal resettlement offers were made.
According to Russ Jalichandra, a vice minister for foreign affairs, the deportation aligns with Thailand’s national interests to avoid potential retaliation from China if the group were relocated elsewhere.
