PHUKET: Six men from Syria, prisoners inside Phuket airport for a month, are being moved to Bangkok next week, one told Phuketwan by telephone from their chilly quarters today.
''We learned an hour ago that we are being moved to Bangkok,'' said the student, who prefers to remain anonymous. The six are trapped in international limbo, with no place to go.
The student said that he and his companions had been kept in a ''freezing'' room at the airport, where the temperature was often so cold that they were forced to wrap themselves in blankets over their winter clothes.
''And sometimes they forget to feed us,'' he said. ''We went for two days without any food at all.''
The unusual case of having six would-be refugees held captive on a tropical holiday island is likely to continue in Thailand as authorities search for a country to take the men.
They flew out of Phuket on January 13 for Beijing, intending to transit to Stockholm, but Beijing authorities arrested them and sent them back to Phuket.
''I think the authorities in Beijing knew we were coming,'' he said. ''We went into the stamp area and they knew immediately.''
Sweden and other countries in Europe usually provide sanctuary for refugees fleeing the war but it's difficult to know what will happen to the six now. Thai authorities are not allowing them to be interviewed in person by officials from the UN refugee organisation, UNHCR, or any other NGO.
''Swedish authorities usually grant refugees from Syria a stay of two or three months but the Swedish officials say they can only help us if we reach Sweden,'' the student said.
''We know that the Thai authorities wanted to send us to Malaysia or Turkey, but those two countries do not want us.''
The six, all aged in their 20s, met up in Damascus where they obtained false passports, the students said.
''Lots of people have travelled through Bangkok airport but we knew that questions could be asked so we decided to fly via Phuket,'' he said.
The group spent a week in Bangkok then flew to Phuket on January 12 and headed out to Beijing on a flight at 1am the following morning. They were returned to Phuket on January 14.
When asked about treatment at the hands of Thai Immigration officials, the student said: ''These people have no respect for human life.''
He said the six were being held prisoners in the ''Hospitality'' section of Phuket airport, an overcrowded facility constantly stressed by the island's popularity as a holiday destination.
''Sometimes they forget us,'' he said. ''We went two days without any food at all. I don't know whether they are trying to pressure us deliberately or it's just they way things are here.
''The room is very cold and we have to wear our winter clothing and wrap up in blankets. And this is Phuket.''
He said the showers were almost unbearably cold. ''We get horrible headaches after a shower,'' he said. ''We have to wash our clothes by hand then dry them by hanging them on the end of our beds.''
It's not known whether others have ever been held at the airport for such a long period.
The student said that he thought the group - mostly students but including a pharmacist and an electrical engineering graduate - were better qualified than most people given sanctuary in Sweden and elsewhere in Europe.
Two of the men were Palestinians living in Syria, he said. The student did not wish to reveal any names. ''Our families are still in Syria,'' he said.
''We learned an hour ago that we are being moved to Bangkok,'' said the student, who prefers to remain anonymous. The six are trapped in international limbo, with no place to go.
The student said that he and his companions had been kept in a ''freezing'' room at the airport, where the temperature was often so cold that they were forced to wrap themselves in blankets over their winter clothes.
''And sometimes they forget to feed us,'' he said. ''We went for two days without any food at all.''
The unusual case of having six would-be refugees held captive on a tropical holiday island is likely to continue in Thailand as authorities search for a country to take the men.
They flew out of Phuket on January 13 for Beijing, intending to transit to Stockholm, but Beijing authorities arrested them and sent them back to Phuket.
''I think the authorities in Beijing knew we were coming,'' he said. ''We went into the stamp area and they knew immediately.''
Sweden and other countries in Europe usually provide sanctuary for refugees fleeing the war but it's difficult to know what will happen to the six now. Thai authorities are not allowing them to be interviewed in person by officials from the UN refugee organisation, UNHCR, or any other NGO.
''Swedish authorities usually grant refugees from Syria a stay of two or three months but the Swedish officials say they can only help us if we reach Sweden,'' the student said.
''We know that the Thai authorities wanted to send us to Malaysia or Turkey, but those two countries do not want us.''
The six, all aged in their 20s, met up in Damascus where they obtained false passports, the students said.
''Lots of people have travelled through Bangkok airport but we knew that questions could be asked so we decided to fly via Phuket,'' he said.
The group spent a week in Bangkok then flew to Phuket on January 12 and headed out to Beijing on a flight at 1am the following morning. They were returned to Phuket on January 14.
When asked about treatment at the hands of Thai Immigration officials, the student said: ''These people have no respect for human life.''
He said the six were being held prisoners in the ''Hospitality'' section of Phuket airport, an overcrowded facility constantly stressed by the island's popularity as a holiday destination.
''Sometimes they forget us,'' he said. ''We went two days without any food at all. I don't know whether they are trying to pressure us deliberately or it's just they way things are here.
''The room is very cold and we have to wear our winter clothing and wrap up in blankets. And this is Phuket.''
He said the showers were almost unbearably cold. ''We get horrible headaches after a shower,'' he said. ''We have to wash our clothes by hand then dry them by hanging them on the end of our beds.''
It's not known whether others have ever been held at the airport for such a long period.
The student said that he thought the group - mostly students but including a pharmacist and an electrical engineering graduate - were better qualified than most people given sanctuary in Sweden and elsewhere in Europe.
Two of the men were Palestinians living in Syria, he said. The student did not wish to reveal any names. ''Our families are still in Syria,'' he said.
why place them in cold quarters and not feed them?...for what reason?..I just don't get it..so they are limbo...is it necessary to go out of the way to make another persons life even more miserable?..although not even close in comparison..but its the same logic being used against the Rohingya..take advantage of people in limbo by doing anything you can to make soemones life more miserable...Not an inkling of a thought on how one can help someone else...WHY?...I find it so hard to believe that a country where such a high percentage of people who call themselves Buddists can make decisions like this.
Posted by zig on February 13, 2014 19:41