Thai Delegation Visits Xinjiang Over Uyghur Deportees

A Thai government delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, is visiting China's Xinjiang region to assess the condition of 40 Uyghur refugees deported from Thailand last month. This visit follows international condemnation and US-imposed visa sanctions on unnamed Thai officials due to concerns of potential mistreatment by Chinese authorities. The deportation was conducted secretly, despite offers from the US and Canada to resettle the Uyghurs, and drew criticism from Western nations and human rights organizations, which accuse China of abuses against the Uyghurs, claims that Beijing denies. Thailand maintains that it received assurances from China regarding the safety of the deportees and is prepared to provide clarity on the situation. Only five of the 40 deportees will be available for the delegation to meet, while Thai officials aim to verify China's commitments and report on the conditions of the deported individuals.