BANGKOK — 29 October 2026, Khaosod English has obtained an internal memo suggesting that the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok is seeking the repatriation of five Uyghur detainees, including two who have just completed sentences for escaping Thai immigration detention facilities.
The two were released from prison and transferred to an Immigration Police detention centre late last week. According to the leaked memo seen by Khaosod English, the Thai Foreign Ministry told the Chinese Embassy that it is up to the National Security Council to decide whether they should be repatriated.
The apparent move has raised alarm among human rights groups, which say they can no longer contact any of the 40 Uyghurs Thailand repatriated to China earlier this year and are concerned about their fate.
London-based Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard, who is currently on a work visit, told Khaosod English on Thursday afternoon that she hopes the Thai government will not send the five detainees back to face possible torture.
“Please don’t send them back to a country where they could be tortured,” said Callamard.
She is scheduled to meet Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Chettaphan Maksamohan on Friday, as well as a United Nations representative at the UN Office in Bangkok. Her attempt to meet Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was unsuccessful, with the Prime Minister’s Office citing his busy schedule.
“It’s a question of human rights obligations [of the Thai government]. These people are victims of human rights violations, including torture.”
Callamard said the Thai government should simply tell China, “We don’t know where they are,” instead of repatriating them.
Krittaporn Semsantad, programme director at Peace Rights Foundation, confirmed to Khaosod English the contents of the internal memo. She added that a House committee has invited representatives from the Foreign Ministry and the National Security Council to explain what is happening.
Krittaporn said she was very concerned about the fate of the two Uyghurs and urged the Thai government not to send them back to China.
NGOs working on the issue are now racing against time after the National Security Council posted a message on its official Facebook page in Thai and English on Wednesday saying it had received a visit from Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jianwei.
Zhang recently congratulated the new NSC chief, Gen Chaipruak Doungprapat, on assuming his post.
“On this occasion, both sides exchanged information and views on several important security topics, including law enforcement cooperation between Thailand and China, cooperation in combating online crime, among others…”