Thailand/China: Whether the police or other authorities in Thailand cooperate with the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok to the extent that they will arrest Chinese citizens who are wanted by China for offences, such as being Falun Gong practitioners, and bring them to the Chinese Embassy; state protection for Chinese citizens in Thailand who are wanted by the Chinese authorities for being followers of Falun Gong or for other offences
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 31 March 2004 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ZZZ42478.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Thailand/China: Whether the police or other authorities in Thailand cooperate with the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok to the extent that they will arrest Chinese citizens who are wanted by China for offences, such as being Falun Gong practitioners, and bring them to the Chinese Embassy; state protection for Chinese citizens in Thailand who are wanted by the Chinese authorities for being followers of Falun Gong or for other offences, 31 March 2004, ZZZ42478.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/41501c7a1c.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
No information on the arrest of Chinese citizens, or whether Thai authorities bring Chinese citizens who are arrested in Thailand to the Chinese Embassy could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Moreover, no information on state protection for Chinese citizens in Thailand who are wanted by the Chinese authorities for being followers of Falun Gong or for other offences, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
However, according to several October 2003 reports, the government of Thailand banned Falun Gong practitioners and other groups from entering the country leading up to and during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit (The Nation 4 Oct. 2003; ibid. 10 Oct. 2003; People's Daily 4 Oct. 2003). Deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ithi Ditbanchong, stated that the blacklist of Falun Gong practitioners was "a temporary measure to prevent activists from creating trouble in Thailand during the summit" (The Nation 10 Oct. 2003). However, the New York-based Falun Dafa Information Center (FDIC) alleged that the former president of the People's Republic of China, Jiang Zemin, was behind the ban and that it was "consistent with his previous attempts to manipulate government officials in other countries to act adversely, and even illegally, toward Falun Gong" (8 Oct. 2003).
In a personal testimony about her unsuccessful attempts to join her fiancé in Thailand, Faye Zhen, a Chinese Falun Gong practitioner who is currently studying in Australia, stated that Thai border police told her that due to the "close relationship" between China and Thailand she could not enter the country (FDICA 3 Mar. 2004). According to Zhen,
[her] fiancé later found out from an official in the Thai government that the Chinese Embassy in Thailand had asked the Thai government to blacklist [her], and the Thai government followed their demand because of the two countries' economic trading relationships (ibid.).
A 6 May 2003 Clear Harmony article reported the arrest and detention of Mrs. Svensson, a Falun Gong practitioner and Swedish national living with her husband in Thailand. The same article alleged "the Thai government has been given a blacklist of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Embassy ... includ[ing] the name of Mrs. Svensson (Clear Harmony 6 May 2003). After being deported to Sweden without an opportunity for appeal, Mrs. Svensson maintained that "she was treated wrongly, due to the pressure from [...] Jiang Zemin's followers in China" (Falun Dafa UK 9 June 2003).
In January of 2003, a Chinese-Australian woman, whose husband was reportedly "tortured to death in China in 2001 because he practiced Falun Gong and had appealed to the Chinese government to stop killing and persecuting innocent people," travelled to Bangkok for three days to speak out about the "severe persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China" (Clear Harmony 18 Mar. 2003). The report did not mention whether the woman faced any problems in Thailand and stated that she received "equal attention from both the Western and Thai media" (ibid.).
In 2002, Thai immigration police reportedly blacklisted at least 10 foreign Falun Gong practitioners in addition to other activists, without providing justification for such action, nor any information regarding the individuals on the list (International Religious Freedom Report 18 Dec. 2003, Sec. 2; The Nation 23 Feb. 2002).
Covering events from 2001, Human Rights Watch's January 2002 report (Sec. 6) on China's campaign against Falun Gong includes the following information on the Chinese government's attempt to quell the group in Thailand:
After Chinese officials became aware of plans for an international Falungong meeting in Bangkok in April 2001, they complained to the Thai embassy in Beijing, suggesting the event would disrupt China-Thai relations. Simultaneous with the arrival of a new Chinese ambassador in Bangkok, Chinese-language dailies there ran prominent advertisements faulting Falungong, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce spoke out against the proposed gathering, and President Jiang Zemin communicated his concern directly to the new Thailand ambassador to China. Although practitioners called the proposed event "non-political," a Thai official made clear that Thailand valued its relations with China, and would not allow any group to use Thai territory to disparage another country. Chinese authorities supplied Thai police with a list of blacklisted practitioners. The Thai business community weighed in, suggesting that if Falungong was accepted in Thailand, groups such as Japan's Aum Shinri Kyo would move in. The press accused Falungong of denigrating Buddhism; Thailand's new government announced that Li Hongzhi would no longer be welcome in Bangkok. On February 26, after a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner of Special Branch police, Falungong canceled the meeting.
The International Religious Freedom Report 2003 corroborates that "in February 2001, local Falun Gong members voluntarily decided not to proceed with plans to organize an international meeting in Bangkok ... for April 2001" after the Chinese government "exerted significant economic pressure" on Thailand in relation to the proposed meeting (18 Dec. 2003, Sec. 2).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Clear Harmony. 6 May 2003. "Letter to Thailand Authorities from European Friends of Falun Gong." _____. 18 March 2003. "Thailand: Jane Dai Visits Bangkok to Tell About Persecution in China." Falun Dafa Information Center (FDIC). 8 October 2003. "Press Statement Concerning Recent Remarks Made By Thailand Officials During APEC Preparations." Falun Dafa Information Center Australia (FDICA). 3 March 2004. "A Homeless Bird." Falun Dafa United Kingdom (FDUK). 9 June 2003. "Swedish Government Helps Falun Gong Practitioner in Thailand." Human Rights Watch (HRW). January 2002. "Dangerous Meditation: China's Campaign Against Falungong." International Religious Freedom Report 2003. 18 December 2003. "Thailand." United States Department of State. Washington, DC. The Nation. 10 October 2003. "APEC: Activist Blacklist Confirmed." _____. 4 October 2003. "Cult Members 'Not Welcome'." _____. 23 February 2002. "Press Freedom Under Fire: Editors Face Blacklist." People's Daily. 4 October 2003. "Thailand to Ask 'Falun Gong' Leaders to Leave: Official." Additional Sources Consulted
Unsuccessful attempt to obtain information from Human Rights in China.
Internet sites, including: Amnesty International, Clear Harmony, Falun Dafa Information Center, Human Rights in China, Human Rights Watch, World News Connection.
