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Thailand signals major shift in refugee policy after Rahaf Mohammed case
Source: The Guardian
Thailand signals major shift in refugee policy after Rahaf Mohammed case
Immigration chief says country ‘will now follow international norms’ yet is still considering extraditing refugee Hakeem al-Araibi
Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Bangkok
Thu 17 Jan 2019 05.42 GMT
Thailand’s immigration chief has pledged a reversal of the country’s notoriously harsh treatment of refugees following the global furore around a young Saudi woman’s attempt to seek asylum.
Speaking on Wednesday, the newly appointed head of immigration, Surachate Hakparn, said refugees would no longer be returned home “involuntarily”.
This would be a major shift in the long-running policy in Thailand of refusing to recognise and shelter asylum seekers and frequently returning them to countries where they are in danger. Thailand is also not a signatory to the UN convention on refugees.
Surachate pledged that going forward, when it comes to asylum seekers, Thailand “will now follow international norms”.
-snip-
Al-Araibi, a former footballer for the Bahrain national team who now plays semi-professional football in Melbourne, was picked up by Thai immigration on an Interpol red notice, , despite having refugee status in Australia since 2017. Australia has made repeated calls for him to be released and returned home to Australia.
-snip-
Immigration chief says country ‘will now follow international norms’ yet is still considering extraditing refugee Hakeem al-Araibi
Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Bangkok
Thu 17 Jan 2019 05.42 GMT
Thailand’s immigration chief has pledged a reversal of the country’s notoriously harsh treatment of refugees following the global furore around a young Saudi woman’s attempt to seek asylum.
Speaking on Wednesday, the newly appointed head of immigration, Surachate Hakparn, said refugees would no longer be returned home “involuntarily”.
This would be a major shift in the long-running policy in Thailand of refusing to recognise and shelter asylum seekers and frequently returning them to countries where they are in danger. Thailand is also not a signatory to the UN convention on refugees.
Surachate pledged that going forward, when it comes to asylum seekers, Thailand “will now follow international norms”.
-snip-
Al-Araibi, a former footballer for the Bahrain national team who now plays semi-professional football in Melbourne, was picked up by Thai immigration on an Interpol red notice, , despite having refugee status in Australia since 2017. Australia has made repeated calls for him to be released and returned home to Australia.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/17/thailand-refugee-policy-shift-rahaf-saudi-arabia
