N. Korean Refugees Continue Flooding Into Thailand

Thailand is annoyed, and has just sentenced dozens more to short jail terms for illegal border crossing.  This from Reuters and the Bangkok Post, dated November 30, 2006.

The Foreign Ministry complained yesterday that local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were hampering Thailand ‘s efforts to prevent illegal entry by North Korean defectors. The ministry’s complaint came after police rounded up 59 North Koreans in Pathum Thani province on Tuesday, the third mass arrest in four months.

The UNHCR, which at least appears to be watching the situation, expects the refugees to go to South Korea upon their release.  The article also noted that “[a]lmost 300 North Koreans [were] rounded up in police raids in August and October….”  The Nation (by Kavi Chongkittavorn, dated  6 November 2006) puts the figure at 266 for the same period; somewhat contradictorily, it states that Thailand allowed 175 who were arrested in August to go to South Korea, and currently has a backlog of 230 waiting to be process through the immigration and judicial systems (for a total of over 400 in four months).  Well, it wouldn’t be the Nation if it wasn’t riddled with contradictions.

The article rightly points out that Thailand needs help to deal with this burden, and to reward it for behavior better than its neighbors.  On the other hand, Thailand probably won’t be sending anyone to North Korea soon:

For the time being, the Thai authorities are turning a blind eye to the problem. It is a Catch 22 situation. They do not want to stir up international wrath if the North Koreans are mistreated by them in any way. Since the coup, Thailand ‘s reputation has been at stake and its diplomatic actions are very much under the world’s microscope. Any perceived harsh response, other than what has already been happening, will immediately be seized upon by international human rights and non-government organisations.

For the Thais, the US Congress is the main concern. They fear that in the future some US congressmen might want to punish Thailand for the coup or come up with new laws that will undermine the role of the military in Thai politics. Therefore, any action on North Korean refugees would immediately draw blood in the Congress.

Thanks to Human  Rights Without Frontiers for forwarding.