Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said today that she is confident all 40 Uyghurs repatriated to China will be safe and that the Thai government will follow up on their living conditions after their return.
"I can reaffirm that the 40 Uyghurs chose to return home willingly and that the Thai government has complied with human rights principles and international practices, adding that no country had agreed to accept them for resettlement," she said.
She disclosed that the Chinese government had assured Thailand that all returnees would not be prosecuted and would be reunited with their families.
The prime minister said that during her recent visit to China, she had discussed the issue of Uyghurs held in Thai custody with Chinese officials at various levels and had received assurances that they would be safe if repatriated.
She then referred to images of the returning Uyghurs reuniting with their families, saying she was delighted to see them happily together again.
"The Thai government would never send them back to China if they were to face persecution or mistreatment," she insisted.
The prime minister also dismissed speculation that a secret trade deal between Thailand and China was made in exchange for the Uyghurs' repatriation.
