Fair Party MP Kannavee Suebsueng criticised the government last night, towards the end of the first day of the censure debate, over the forced repatriation of 40 Uyghurs in February, saying it went against the foreign policy presented to parliament.
PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s decision to deport the Uyghur detainees to China has damaged Thailand’s image and international credibility. “The decision has placed Thailand in a major dilemma, and foreign countries will use this to exert pressure in various areas, including trade and tariffs,” he said.
Kannavee said the Paetongtarn government’s handling of the deportation should be made into a film, which he said should be called “73 Days of Lies”, with the main cast being the prime minister and the ministers of justice, defence and foreign affairs.
His 73-day timeline runs between January 7 and February 27, the day the Uyghurs were deported.
During this period, the process of secretly planning the deportation of the group continued, despite their unwillingness to return to China, claimed Kannavee. Meanwhile, officials publicly distorted information and denied that there was any ongoing deportation process.
Kannavee said that, even after the Uyghurs had left Bangkok, Paetongtarn continued to deny any knowledge of the situation, having stated publicly, to the Thai people and during international meetings, that Thailand would not take sides.
“Did you know that you have picked sides many times already? This time, you picked the wrong side,” he said.
In response, Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong claimed that the Uyghurs, who entered Thailand illegally, were willing to return to China. He further explained that the Uyghurs had been detained in immigration detention centres in poor conditions, with some falling ill and even dying there.
Therefore, the National Security Council determined that they should be repatriated.
He also claimed that the Uyghurs did not have refugee status, otherwise Thailand would have received a letter from the UNHCR confirming their status, adding “I confirm that these Uyghurs do not have a letter from the UNHCR proving they are refugees. They were illegal immigrants.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai criticised Kannavee, arguing that he raised the issue of the Uyghurs because he lacks experience in national administration, which is why he failed to consider national security and the country’s best interests.
He further explained that the decision to repatriate the Uyghurs was based on Thailand's sovereignty, the rule of law, national security and human rights principles.
“After visiting Xinjiang, we learned the truth and took journalists to verify it. During the two-day visit, we met 12 out of the 40 Uyghurs and they expressed a desire to choose their own future and live a peaceful life,” he claimed.
