Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Thai authorities to cease the deportation of Karen refugees from Phetchaburi province to Myanmar. The rights group is emphasizing the severe risks these individuals face if returned amid Myanmar’s ongoing violence and deteriorating human rights situation. According to HRW, deporting the ethnic Karen violates the principle of non-refoulement and could undermine Thailand’s commitments under international agreements such as the UN Convention against Torture, which prohibits sending individuals to countries where they face significant risk of ill-treatment.
HRW reported that Thai security forces recently targeted the Karen community living within Kaeng Krachan National Park for lacking Thai citizenship documentation. They arrested 26 villagers, who are now held at the Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Centre in Bangkok. HRW stresses that returning these individuals to Myanmar exposes them to the military junta’s well-documented human rights abuses, including arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings here.
The Karen, an ethnic minority group prevalent along the Thai-Myanmar border, have historically resided in regions now within Kaeng Krachan National Park. However, following the park’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2021, Thai authorities implemented restrictions on living within its boundaries. This decision has heightened concerns regarding the violation of ancestral land rights. With the increased classification of undocumented Karen as illegal immigrants, the community faces heightened risk of deportation amid ongoing conflict in Myanmar.
This issue isn’t isolated. Thailand has faced criticism over its deportation policies in the past. In March 2025, the country was scrutinized for deporting Uyghur refugees to China under similar human rights concerns. More recently, HRW has raised alarms about the potential forced deportation of Vietnamese refugees due to tight immigration cooperation between Thailand and Vietnam as noted by Human Rights Watch.
These developments underline a longstanding pattern of pressure on Karen villagers to relocate from their traditional lands, efforts which have often been criticized for failing to accommodate the community’s agricultural practices. HRW urges Thailand to address these human rights concerns and adhere to its international commitments, advocating for the immediate halt to the deportations and release of detained individuals.