BANGKOK (AP) — In late February 2025, representatives from a Thai Muslim organization presented a comforting message to 40 Uyghur men, who were living in fear of deportation to China: the Thai government had reportedly no immediate plans to send them back. Yet, within just 72 hours, these men found themselves on a flight to China's Xinjiang region, where United Nations experts have warned they may face torture and other severe forms of punishment.
The decision to deport the Uyghurs, which was made by Thai officials over a month in advance, was kept under wraps from the public, lawmakers, and Muslim religious leaders until the final moments. This secrecy prevented the detainees and their advocates from mounting any last-minute appeals prior to their swift deportation to China.
The Thai government's actions resulted in significant backlash from human rights advocates and sparked tensions in international relations. As a consequence, Thailand is currently facing inquiries from its parliament and a widening diplomatic rift with the United States, which has imposed sanctions on multiple Thai officials involved in the decision. The European Union and various allied nations have also issued public condemnations of Thailand's actions.
Thai officials recently visited Xinjiang to meet some of the deported Uyghurs, claiming they were being treated well and implying the deportations were voluntary, despite conflicting evidence regarding their consent. The Uyghurs represent a Turkic Muslim minority with deep historical roots in Xinjiang. Following years of cultural suppression, the Chinese government has implemented a severe crackdown on their rights, an action some Western governments characterize as a genocide.
The individuals deported were part of a larger group detained in Thailand since 2014, after fleeing China. This placed Thailand in a challenging position, caught between demands from Beijing—who labeled the Uyghurs as terrorists and sought their repatriation without presenting credible evidence—and appeals from Uyghur activists and Western nations advocating for their protection and resettlement.
The political landscape in Thailand shifted when Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra took office in 2024. Known for her family’s connections to influential Chinese officials, her administration reportedly began clandestine discussions concerning the Uyghur deportations shortly after her meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in December 2024.
Documents from a parliamentary inquiry indicate that China made a formal repatriation request on January 8, with records showing that on the same day, Uyghur detainees were asked to sign deportation papers, inducing panic among them. In response, the detainees staged a public appeal and initiated a hunger strike, temporarily affecting the Thai government’s decision-making process.
Despite these protests and last-minute reassurances from government officials claiming there would be no immediate deportation, Prime Minister Paetongtarn confirmed discussions regarding deportation with Chinese leaders just after the men were detained on February 27. The secrecy surrounding the deportation decision deepened when a meeting of the National Security Council on January 17 resulted in a behind-closed-doors agreement to deport the Uyghurs, based on promises from China about their treatment.
In the aftermath of the controversial deportation, numerous Thai lawmakers have vocally criticized the decision, demanding transparency and accountability. The Thai parliament's national security committee has begun inquiries into the matter and requested footage of the deportations. Initially, the government claimed no other nations were willing to provide asylum for the Uyghurs, despite subsequent arguments confirming that countries, including the U.S., had extended offers for their resettlement.
In a further attempt to manage the growing criticism, a delegation of senior Thai officials visited Xinjiang, where they claimed the Uyghurs were living happily with their families, although the visit was highly controlled and media exposure was limited. Following the deportations, the U.S. State Department announced visa sanctions on unnamed Thai officials, while the European Parliament condemned the actions, illustrating the severe implications of Thailand's choices on its international relations.
