Thailand calls for concerted efforts to tackle migrant problem

Thailand today called for concerted efforts by all countries concerned - origin, transit and destination - to solve the problem of what it referred to as an influx of irregular migrants in the Indian Ocean.

Thailand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gen Tanasak Patimapragorn said the influx of irregular migrants in the Indian Ocean had reach an alarming level and affected various countries in the region.

No country could solve this problem alone, he said when opening a Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean, here.

"It also requires both time and international cooperation to address the problem comprehensively in the spirit of international burden-sharing. We need to work together," he told the multinational conference.

Tanasak did not mention Rohingya or Bangladeshi in reference to the migrants.

He said Thailand took the initiative to host the meeting with three main objectives: first, to address the immediate humanitarian situation of stranded migrants; second, to combat the long-term problem of people smuggling and human trafficking to prevent further irregular movements; and, third, to address the root causes from origin.

He recalled that last week, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia announced their intention to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to those migrants still at sea.

Malaysia and Indonesia also offered temporary shelter for the stranded migrants provided that the resettlement and repatriation process would be done in one year by the international community.

On its part, Thailand remains ready as always to provide humanitarian assistance to these migrants "by tripling our efforts", he said.

Since May 26, Royal Thai Navy vessels have been deployed to serve as floating platforms to provide humanitarian assistance to those migrants at sea, he said.

Tanasak said personnel on these floating vessels consisted of a medical team to provide treatment, food and water; an investigation team to investigate the possibility of human trafficking activities; and a registration team to identify and prepare for possible solutions, including referrals to shelters offered by Indonesia and Malaysia.

If disembarkation was absolutely necessary, the migrants would be treated first and foremost according to humanitarian principles under Thai laws, he said.

He said Thailand had also deployed air patrols by the Royal Thai Navy and the Royal Thai Air Force to monitor movements over Thai waters, adjacent areas and international waters within its capability to assist and support the humanitarian mission.

He welcomed other interested countries to join in, under Thailand’s coordination.

Thailand now had some 130,000 refugees under its care, and it was hosting many other groups, including some 600 irregular maritime migrants, he said.

Tanasak said irregular migration had become increasingly complex and demanded comprehensive solutions.

"We must not solve one problem just to find out later that it has in fact created another. While we are trying to help those in need, we must seek to stop the outflow of irregular migration and combat transnational crime and destroy their networks.

"The root causes that motivated these people to leave must also be addressed," he said.