Riyadh denies asking Thailand to extradite Saudi teen
The position of two countries on this matter is the same — that the priority is to provide her safety. We are both concerned for Rahaf’s safety and well-being
Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, Thailand’s immigration police chief
bangkok — Thailand’s immigration police chief met on Tuesday with officials from the Saudi Embassy in Bangkok, as Saudi Arabia tried to distance itself from accusations that it tried to block a young woman’s effort to flee her family and seek asylum abroad.
Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun arrived in Bangkok from Kuwait late on Saturday after slipping away from her family, whom she accused of abusing her. The 18-year-old was stopped by officials in Thailand who confiscated her passport.
Her urgent pleas for help over Twitter from an airport hotel room garnered tens of thousands of followers and the attention of the UN’s refugee agency, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Public pressure prompted Thai officials to return her passport and let her temporarily stay in Thailand.
The Saudi Embassy in Thailand said on Tuesday it is only monitoring her situation.
The statement, which described Alqunun’s case as a “family affair,” said the kingdom did not demand her deportation to Saudi Arabia. The embassy — and Thai officials — earlier also said that Alqunun was stopped by Thai authorities in Bangkok because she did not have a return ticket, a hotel reservation or itinerary to show she was a tourist, which appeared to have raised a flag about the reasons for her trip. Thailand’s immigration police chief, Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, said on Tuesday that Saudi diplomats told him they are satisfied with how her case had been handled.
“The position of two countries on this matter is the same — that the priority is to provide her safety. We are both concerned for Miss Rahaf’s safety and well-being,” said Surachate.
“The Saudi charge d’affaires said he is satisfied and expressed confidence on the work of Thai immigration, of the Thai government, and of the Foreign Ministry yesterday.”
Surachate said Alqunun’s father and brother were due to arrive soon in Bangkok, but that it was her decision whether to meet with them. —