Ministers and members of the Thai media have arrived in China’s Xinjiang Province to visit and check on 40 Uyghur deportees who were repatriated to China, amid concerns over their well-being in China.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong and other senior officials, along with eight members of the Thai media, arrived in Xinjiang on Wednesday (19 March) to visit and check on the 40 Uyghur deportees’ well-being.

The visit came amid growing concerns among the international community regarding the safety and well-being of the deported Uyghurs since several reports have indicated that Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang were subjected to torture and repression from the Chinese government.

The purpose of the visit was to show that the 40 deported Uyghurs are being treated well and living decent lives as promised by the Chinese government to its Thai counterpart.

Qi Yanjun, Deputy Secretary-General of the Communist Party Central Committee and Vice Minister of Public Security, asserted that the situation in Xinjiang is currently safe, adding that the Chinese government is working to help those deported Uyghurs reintegrate into their normal lives.

“Some countries have condemned the cooperation between Thailand and China, although it is required by regular laws, by saying that it is a bad move for both nations to take such strict action. Those entering a third country are considered illegal, and we must do our duty to carry out the process correctly, and we have to request cooperation from both countries to safeguard human rights,” said Qi.

He further dismissed claims made by the US and the European Union about China’s inappropriate treatment of Uyghurs, asserting they were untrue.

According to Matichon, one man expressed gratitude to both Thailand and China for facilitating his return home. He said he was very impressed upon disembarking the plane. “During ten years being abroad, I was told that if I returned to China, I would be imprisoned. But in reality, I can stay with my family every day after returning,” said the man. He added that the local government did not punish him and his family.

Another man said he was sent to the hospital for a medical check-up, and the government also supported him with 22,000 yuan to build a new house. “Since I came back home, there has been no problem. The government has consistently supported me with ID registration and life insurance,” he said.

A third man told Phumtham that he felt good about being back. When asked why he decided to go to Thailand, he said he was convinced that his life would be better abroad, but now he regretted the decision. Another man revealed that he was persuaded by extremists. When he wished to return, he was threatened that he would face danger.

The Defence Minister also asked about the three letters, allegedly written by detained Uyghurs. The man said no such letters were written as reported and also reiterated that no third country had offered to accept them.

Thailand has faced condemnation since a group of 40 detained Uyghur refugees were deported in an unusual manner in the small hours of 27 February. The move to deport the Uyghur refugees drew criticism from several countries and international organisations, including the European Parliament, potentially causing a delay in The first Thai-EU Free Trade Agreement.

Thai officials involved with the forced repatriation of Uyghur refugees were also hit with visa restrictions from the US Department of State.

The government was also criticised for the lack of transparency regarding the selection of Thai media members for the Xinjiang trip. The People’s Party’s Deputy Spokesperson Pakamon Nun-anan accused the government of using the media as its public relations arm and called for more openness for those who desire to witness the situation in Xinjiang. The names of selected members of the Thai media were not disclosed to the public.

Pranot Vilepsuwan, Thairath’s director of news, posted on his social media account on Wednesday that the media representatives on the trip were closely monitored by Chinese security officers and were asked to submit their pictures before publishing them.

In response, the Thai Government clarified via its official Facebook page that no such action occurred. The Chinese officers merely asked for cooperation in blurring the faces of individuals to protect their rights and privacy.

Phumtham on Thursday (20 March) told the media that the government was not playing favourites, saying the media representatives were chosen based on their audience reach in order to effectively convey messages to the public. The media representatives were from both state-run and private news outlets, such as NBT, The Nation, Thairath, and Matichon.

He said that, in principle, the issue was settled once they (40 Uyghurs) boarded the Chinese plane. However, the government did not dismiss concerns, realising that it involved multiple stakeholders with different perspectives. “We chose the best path that was most beneficial for the country”, noted Phumtham.

The Minister reiterated that the government did its best and was confident in China’s assurances to Thailand. When further actions were requested, China issued its diplomatic note, which was considered internationally recognised, to confirm that it would take those Uyghurs back to China and ensure their well-being.  Despite this, the Minister acknowledged that some still had doubts, which was why Thai officials, along with Thai media representatives, joined the trip this time.