Repatriation of Hmomg Refugees from Thailand to Laos Completed

The repatriation of over 4,000 Hmomg ethnic refugees from a camp in Thailand to Laos was completed Tuesday morning, said Lieutenant General Niphat Thonglek, director-general of the Border Affairs Department under Thailand's Supreme Command.
The repatriation was completed at 6.30 a.m., local time as all of the Hmong refugees are now at a shelter in Bolikhamsai Province in Laos, Lieutenant General Niphat said, Thai News Agency reported.
The repatriation was smooth and there was no violence during the repatriation process, Lieutenant General Niphat explained.
The repatriation was done on a humanity basis, Lieutenant General Niphat said.
The government early Monday morning began deporting the over-4, 000 ethnic Hmong from the refugee camp in a Thai northern province of Phetchabun across the border to Laos.
The move to clear the Huay Nam Khao refugee camp in Phetchabun began at 5:30 a.m. local time (2230 GMT Sunday), carried out by about 5,000 soldiers, officials and assisting civilian volunteers.
After the repatriation, the empty camp is to be formally closed soon.

Thailand agrees to repatriate 5,000 Hmong refugees to Laos

Thailand has agreed to repatriate 5,000 members of the Hmong ethnic minority to Laos from Thai refugee camps, a foreign ministry spokesman told AFP Saturday.
Thousands of Lao Hmong live in the camps in north east Thailand and are seeking political asylum.
They say they fear persecution because many Hmong once fought alongside US forces during the Vietnam war.
"There is coordination between the government and Laos to send Hmong refugees back to Laos according to the minister," foreign ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat told AFP.
"The process to return the refugees includes screening them to ensure that those who return will not be in danger," he added.
Thailand Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya made a visit to Laos on Friday but the ministry said the issue had not been discussed during talks.
Thailand claims the Hmong refugees are economic migrants seeking work, and has already been slowly shipping the Hmong back to Laos, to the horror of human rights groups who say that some may genuinely be in danger of persecution.
New York-based Human Rights Watch has accused Lao security forces of arrests, torture, sexual abuse and extrajudicial killings of Hmong in the past and has demanded both countries allow UN monitoring of any repatriations.
The resettlements have slowed amid Thailand's recent political turmoil but Laos appears eager to wrap up the process before it takes the regional spotlight when it hosts the 25th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in December.
Thailand has lately been cultivating Laos as a key regional ally, with energy-hungry Thais buying increasing amounts of electricity from their communist neighbour to the north.