Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission will try to stop 126 undocumented students from Myanmar being repatriated, after the Ang Thong primary education office became suspicious that they might have been lured to study at a school in the province.
The plight of the children, aged from 7 to 16, came to light when the director of the Thai Rath Wittaya School in Pa Moke district, Kalaya, sought registration of the children at the school with the provincial primary education office, to secure financial support.
The office became suspicious, however, because the school has just one permanent teacher, one temporary teacher, a general affairs official and the director. The school has 137 students, but 126 of them are undocumented children from Myanmar who cannot speak Thai.
The office then filed a complaint with Pa Moke district police against the director and ordered all the children from Myanmar to be sent to the immigration police for repatriation.
The superintendent of the Pa Moke district police, Pol Col Sakchai Kraiveeradechachai, said there is, however, no evidence that the school director was involved in human trafficking in any way.
He said that children who were born in Thailand to documented migrant workers have the right of access to education in Thai schools, but not the undocumented children.
Former human rights commissioner Tuenjai Deetes said that the children in question are protected under the Child Protection Act and have the right of access to basic education. She said that it is unsafe to send them back to Myanmar because of the unrest there.
Pol Maj-Gen Thitawat Suriyachai, commander of Technology Crime Suppression Division, said that the children will be sent to their parents, adding that they can attend schools located along the border with Myanmar.
The children were driven by bus to Mueang district of Chiang Rai yesterday (Wednesday) and sheltered at five welfare facilities while waiting to be repatriated.
