Undocumented Myanmar children must be protected

Fifty-nine individuals remain in Thailand following the repatriation, and there are still 67 people whose cases need to be addressed. In addition, there are hundreds of thousands of undocumented people and NGOs are pleading for assistance before repatriation takes place. In the Ang Thong case, it was reported that police officers and officials from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and the Ministry of Education advocated for the repatriation to Myanmar of foreign students at the Thairath Wittaya School 6 in the province’s Pa Mok District due to the lack of citizenship registration documents.

As Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police and Director of the Child Protection, Women, Anti-Trafficking, and Fisheries Protection Centre, National Police Office (NCPO), Surachet attended the Chiang Rai meeting on July 10 to discuss the guidelines for repatriating foreign children and youth with the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), the National Human Rights Commission, the US Embassy and private organisations. 

The officials told the meeting that the children who were sent back had confirmed their desire to return and had valid residential registrations in Myanmar. The guardians of some of the children had confirmed their decisions but there were still some cases where the children did not have guardians present to receive them and some of the youngsters were residing with relatives who refused to take them back.

Surachet expressed the view that this case must be viewed from multiple dimensions and should not solely focus on law enforcement. The children, he stressed, not only have rights but also need access to education, as they will be an important workforce for Thailand in the future. A balance must therefore be found to ensure that these children can receive proper education in accordance with the law. 

In the meantime, the remaining children have been housed in shelters while efforts are made to coordinate with the parents or guardians on the neighboring country's side. If the children wish to continue their education, discussions will be held with the Secretary-General of the OBEC to facilitate their enrollment in schools that can accommodate them. However, the consent of the parents or guardians is required, as many areas in Myanmar are affected by armed conflict and lack educational opportunities.

For the children who cannot locate their parents or guardians, it will be up to the provincial governor of Chiang Rai to arrange for caretakers and their placement in the children's shelters in Chiang Rai province. The conclusions will be finalized by July 15 so that the children can at least have a sense of their future.