Australia on Friday agreed to join a multi-lateral summit hosted by Thailand aimed at tackling the issue of undocumented Rohingya not only in Thailand but also in the region.
Officials round up about 60 migrants near Khao Kaew in Songkhla’s Rattaphum district on Friday, bringing the number of surviving migrants rescued from the mountain to 96. (Photo by Wichayant Boonchote).
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop agreed to the proposal during meetings on Friday with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and deputy premier and Foreign Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn.
“I certainly committed Australia to attend. We think [the summit] is a good idea and if Thailand wishes to host it we will certainly be supporting it,” Ms Bishop said after the meetings.
Ms Bishop’s visit was the first by a top Australian minister since the May 22 coup last year.
Australia expressed “grave concerns” following the coup and “reduced engagement” with the Thai military and lowered its “interaction” with the Thai military leadership.But she said last night, “The issue of human trafficking has drawn greater focus as a result of the discovery of the detention camps and graves in Thailand. It’s a shocking discovery.
“I acknowledge the efforts of the Thai government to respond in a timely fashion and to announce an investigation that I understand will be very thorough. I was encouraged by the discussion today by the deputy prime minister and the prime minister about a regional forum.”
Although details and the timing of such a summit have not yet been worked out, Thailand hopes to be able to host the summit this month. Ms Bishop said Thailand and Australia are part of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (Bali Process) founded in 2002.
The Bali Process comprises 45 member countries including Bangladesh, Malaysia, Myanmar and Indonesia. It deals with the issues of people smuggling, asylum seekers and illegal movement of people in the region. “We recognise a regional response is required. Likewise with human trafficking which has connections with the Bali Process. But this is a particularly vile trade and it has to be disrupted,” Ms Bishop said.
“One country cannot do it alone. It has to be something that is done on a regional basis.”
On Jan 26 this year Thailand and Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in developing regional programmes to combat human trafficking. This involves support to various Thai agencies.
Solving the problem of Rohingya trafficking requires not only cooperation from Myanmar and Bangladesh which are the countries of origin of the Rohingya migrants, but also the countries which are migrants’ destinations, Prime Minister Prayut said yesterday.
Malaysia and Australia are among the destination countries for the migrants.
Thailand cannot solve the problem alone, the prime minister said.
Gen Prayut said human trafficking cannot operate smoothly without help from “rogue” officials, adding that any officials involved in human trafficking will be punished.
The prime minister also said the Foreign Ministry will arrange the international summit with the relevant countries and organisations in order to discuss the matter by the end of this month. During the meeting, joint working panels will be set up to find solutions to the problem, he said.
Meanwhile, Padang Besar mayor Banjong Pongpol, suspected of involvement in a human trafficking ring, turned himself in to police yesterday, deputy national police chief Ake Angsananont said.
He is among 29 suspects whom a Songkhla court has approved arrest warrants for in connection with the smuggling of Rohingya migrants. More arrest warrants are also being sought for seven more suspects.
Police believe Mr Banjong masterminded the human trafficking ring.
However, Mr Banjong denied the accusations and vowed to fight the case in court, police sources said. Police have detained him for questioning.
Several other local officials and members local administrative bodies are also facing arrest warrants for Rohingya trafficking.
They include Prasit Lemleh, deputy chief of tambon Padang Besar municipality; Arson Inthanu, a member of tambon Padang Besar Municipality Council; Yali Khrem, headman of Moo 8 village in Padang Besar; Ro-ae Sonyalae and Ali Lamoh, both assistant village headmen in tambon Padang Besar.
Two local policemen — Pol Lt Mongkol Suro, head of a border-patrol police unit, and Pol Snr Sgt Maj Asaneeran Nualrod, a squad leader at the Padang Besar police station — were also held for questioning.