Human rights activists claim that the Thai government turned down the refugee agency’s illegal requests to assist 48 Chinese Uyghur asylum seekers who have been detained in Bangkok for a generation out of worry that China might infuriate them.
The Thai government began formally contacting the UN High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR ) almost five years ago, according to internal documents obtained by The New Humanitarian, and agency staff in Bangkok advised against doing so.
Five of the prison seekers are serving jail sentences related to a 2020 avoid test, while the remaining 43 are being held without demand in the Suan Phlu immigration detention centre in the capital, amid sweltering, bad- smelling, cramped conditions. They are barred from communicating with their families, attorneys, or even other prisoners.
Thai authorities have no plans to release the Tamils, according to a 2023 review by the National Human Rights Commission. Thailand is certainly a member to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention.
The Tamils ‘ confinement is categorized as a matter of national security under Thai law. They are now subject to immigration authorities ‘ control, rather than the National Security Council ( NSC ). Additionally, it forbids them from using the nation’s national verification system, which allows refugees to reside there and get public services.
The New Humanitarian, which was established by the UN in 1995 but is now an independent, non-profit organization, has long claimed that the Thai authorities has prevented it from obtaining the necessary information to give them immigrant status and help their settlement in a second nation.
Millions of asylum seekers around the world have received life-saving aid from the UNHCR, but according to a report from the Uyghur Human Rights Project ( UHRP ) in 2023, China’s growing influence over some host nations undermines “any political or humanitarian will recognize and duly protect Uyghur refugees”
Rights advocates who reviewed the domestic documents claimed that the immigrant company is also under Chinese influence.  ,
According to Fortify Rights director John Quinley,” the papers demonstrate that UNHCR has violated its duty to protect Uyghur refugees.” The UNHCR management does not appear to be actively attempting to help the Uyghur refugees who have been detained for years.
According to UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch, who reviewed excerpts of the documents, the organization continues to contact Thai authorities about the Uyghur matter, but” no time have we been given permission to enter the group or work with the workload to facilitate solutions.” It would be false to suggest often because of what has happened.
He declined to offer complex, citing security constraints.
Fleeing persecution
Thailand joined Uyghur refugees fleeing China’s growing persecution and seeking entry to Turkey, which has previously supported Uyghur asylum seekers, a common route ten years ago. Around 350 people were detained by immigration officials near the Malaysian borders in March 2014, making up the majority of the group that was detained in Bangkok.  ,
In July 2015, around 170 women and children from the class were released to Turkey. About a week later, 109— generally males— were deported to China. Their movements today are mysterious. The remainder were detained in Thailand’s immigration confinement. At least a few have escaped, and five have died in confinement, including two children.
Since 2019, one UNHCR document says,” there have been increased attempts by]the Thai government ] to seek that UNHCR find a solution to the issue”, adding that there was a possibility that” Thailand may provide access to UNHCR” to the Uyghur prisoners.
However, the company’s Thailand company looked at the Thai government’s casual present with fear.
” The]country office ] view is that this is so that Thailand may use UNHCR as a shield to deflect the ire of China”, one document says.
Later in 2020, the country office staff decided that it is” not advised to take proactive steps before the Thai government engage UNHCR actually.”
One report warns of the “risk of negative repercussions on UNHCR’s activity in China” and of “funding/support to UNHCR”, including 10 young team positions and tasks valued at$ 7.7 million.
According to the documents, the UNHCR regional bureau for Asia Pacific, the Thailand office, and other organizations discussed ways to assist the Uyghurs in overcoming “national security” restrictions in Thailand in February 2020.
“gathering information through others,” as suggested by the International Committee of the Red Cross and another UN agency, the International Organization for Migration.
However, the Thai country office advised against” collecting information to look for solutions” without the Thai government’s express approval and the support of various UNHCR departments.
After reviewing the documents, Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, told The New Humanitarian,” One of the shocking things about these memos is that Thailand was apparently pressing UNHCR to get more involved,” and UNHCR baulked because they feared Beijing would become hostile and stifle cooperation or donations to the organization.”
No one in Thailand is more in need of refugees protection than these Uyghurs, he said, and UNHCR must refocus on its task of protecting refugees.