Protect refugees, asylum seekers, Amnesty tells govt

Marking World Refugee Day yesterday, Amnesty International (AI) called on the Thai government to adopt a robust administrative and legislative framework that protects refugees and asylum seekers in line with international human rights laws.

“Refugees and asylum seekers in Thailand are not afforded any legal status under Thai laws and remain extremely vulnerable to arrest, detention, forcible deportation and exploitation. Under Thailand’s 1979 Immigration Act, all undocumented migrants and refugees are considered to be illegal immigrants and thus vulnerable to criminal charges and indefinite detention,” the agency said.

Thailand has long welcomed individuals fleeing violence and persecution in neighbouring countries and more distant locations. Starting in the 1970s, Thailand hosted hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing war in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

More recently, Thailand has received populations threatened by armed conflict and ethnic persecution in Myanmar.

Approximately 100,000 Myanmar nationals are residing in refugee camps along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Meanwhile, about 8,000 urban refugees and asylum seekers reside in Bangkok and other cities in Thailand, AI said.

“Thailand should adopt a legislative and administrative framework that gives refugees and asylum seekers secure legal status and other rights consistent with international human rights law, including the right to temporarily reside in Thailand while their refugee claims are being considered. Thailand should also ensure that refugees are never detained and the detention of asylum seekers is an exceptional measure authorised by law for the shortest possible time period,” the agency said.

AI further called on Thailand, which is not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, to ensure in both law and practice that individuals in need of international protection are not returned to a country where there are substantial grounds to believe they may be at risk of torture, persecution or other grave human rights abuses.

When developing screening procedures, Thai authorities should adopt a definition of “refugee” in line with international standards and ensure asylum claims are processed fairly and efficiently. No individual or class of persons should be denied refugee status for political reasons, AI said.