Thailand Has Yet to Decide on Fate of Lao Hmong Illegal Migrants Arrested - 2004-11-16

Thai authorities says they have not yet decided what to do with some 159 Hmong illegal migrants from Laos who were arrested on November 8 at Petsaboun province, and are now detained at Amphur Pakchom area in Lei province. About half of these people are children. According to Thai immigration officials many of these Hmongs have claimed that they are fleeing persecution by Laos' communist regime. And the Thai authorities also say they can push them back because Lao authorities will not accept them back.