Thailand's Plan to Deport Hmong Refugees Delayed

Thai authorities stepped back late Tuesday from deporting 150 Hmong - 86 of whom are children - after the United States, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and other countries agreed to consider their applications for resettlement. A Thai foreign ministry spokesman says the Hmong had been returned to an immigration detention center at Nong Khai, 500 kilometers from Bangkok after a tense standoff earlier in the day.
Earlier in the day, Xongrit PhonNgern, VOA-Lao Service Bangkok stringer, reported that Thai immigration officials were ready to send the Hmong refugees back to Laos, after screening by Lao officials found that they were from Laos.

The refugees were arrested in Bangkok in November for entering the country illegally. They were transported to Nongkhai and detained there ever since.

Listen to Songrit's report for more about these Hmong refugees.