Thaksin defends government’s decision to send Uyghurs back to China
Ex-PM says more dialogue needed with EU to explain the rationale
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has defended Thailand's decision to deport Uyghur refugees back to China, which has sparked strong criticism from the European Union.
Speaking before delivering a keynote address at "The World’s Next Opportunites and Beyond" event hosted by MFC and organised by Nation Group at Centara Grand Hotel, CentralWorld on Friday evening, he addressed the EU's condemnation and potential trade sanctions over the deportations.
"We need to explain this situation and invite EU ambassadors for discussions," said Thaksin. "Thailand has been violating these Uyghurs' human rights for a decade by detaining them for illegal entry. Isn't keeping them imprisoned for over 10 years cruel? During this period, no country has offered to take them in."
He added: "After 10 years, we feel it's time to send them home. China has clearly stated and confirmed they will not prosecute these people, as they have already suffered enough. Allowing them to return home is the only way to resolve this human rights violation that we've been committing for years."
When questioned whether the EU's pressure would affect government stability, Thaksin dismissed such concerns.
"There will be no impact. We can talk and explain. Humans need to communicate—without dialogue, people make negative assumptions," he remarked, adding, "It's like my regular critics who never speak with me directly and let their imaginations run wild. I worry about them; they're unwell. They should talk to me for peace of mind."
Regarding measures to address unrest in Thailand's three southern border provinces, Thaksin requested more time as he had only recently visited the area.
"I met with the BRN group when I was in Malaysia. I believe we need to continue these discussions thoroughly," he said.
When reporters suggested a connection between recent violence and his visit to the southern provinces, Thaksin challenged the source of such claims before dismissing them as typical criticism from his regular detractors.
"This is normal—I always have critics," he said.
The former prime minister expressed confidence in resolving ongoing issues, citing his previous commitments: "I've said call-centre scams will end this year, and drug problems must be resolved. Similarly, we must find a path to peace in the southern conflict. I'm fully committed—we should be able to make progress."
When asked if recent developments might destabilise the government, Thaksin firmly replied, "There will be no impact, though there are many suspicious elements at play," adding that he preferred not to elaborate further.
