Months ago, China sent Thailand a formal request that 40 Uyghur men—whom China claimed were terrorists, despite proof of their innocence—be sent back to China, where they may face severe mistreatment. Thai Muslim officials reassured the men that they would not be deported—only days before the Thai government forced them to return to China. Thai Muslim leaders and citizens were not informed of the government’s decision beforehand, giving them no chance to appeal. The Thai government is now facing severe backlash from citizens, as well as diplomatic allies like the EU, who condemn their actions. In response, the Thai government claimed that the people they deported left Thailand by choice, despite interview records in which the men expressed that they did not want to return to China. Furthermore, despite directly denying it on multiple occasions, some records show that the Thai government had been planning to go through with the deportations as far back as January.
China has been condemned internationally for its treatment of the Uyghur population. Uyghurs are a Turkic and largely Muslim minority group in northwestern China. For over a decade, they have faced persecution, ethnic suppression, and mistreatment that some countries have labeled as genocide. Over one million Uyghur people have been detained without due process in China and have been kept in work camps. Many have fled to seek asylum in central Asian/Turkic countries, while other destinations included Thailand and the U.S—who offered to take the men from Thailand rather than sending them back to China. Sending these men back to China puts their lives at risk, which is why Thailand’s decision was widely condemned.
Now that Thailand has chosen to return the men to China, the country cannot reverse this action, despite the backlash it has caused. Although, the public’s response may decrease the chance of a similar decision in the near future. It is hard to say, however, what alternative decision the Thai government may make if presented with this difficult scenario again. On one hand, putting the Uyghurs in danger once again by sending them back to China would spark outrage with Thai citizens and western allies. On the other hand, ignoring China’s request could damage relations or even cause China to retaliate, which is a huge threat to Thailand considering the power China has over the East Asian region.
The threat of Chinese retaliation is significant due to the power balance and order of the East Asian region. China is geographically close to Thailand and one of its main trade partners, furthering the influence it has over Thailand. Damaged relations with China would pose a bigger national security threat than the backlash received for following China’s request, and this consideration could have influenced the Thai government’s decision to deport the men instead of denying China’s request. On an individual level, however, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra could be influenced to act in favor of China due to her father’s ties with Chinese officials.