Myanmar magnificence queen in Thai airport limbo, fears arrest at dwelling By Reuters

By Jiraporn Kuhakan

BANGKOK (Reuters) – A magnificence queen who spoke out towards Myanmar’s army rulers was stranded at Thailand’s worldwide airport for a 3rd day on Friday, hoping to be granted entry, as activists and her employer urged authorities to not ship her again to her homeland.

Han Lay, who gained worldwide consideration final yr together with her shifting pageant speech on the military’s lethal suppression of anti-junta protests in her native Myanmar, has been denied entry by Thai authorities, regardless of having taken refuge in Thailand for the previous yr.

The 23-year-old mannequin, whose actual identify is Thaw Nandar Aung, was stopped at Bangkok’s Suvarnhabhumi airport on Wednesday, when getting back from a quick go to to Vietnam. The immigration bureau stated she was utilizing invalid journey paperwork.

The occasions administration group that works with Han Lay stated they hoped she may reenter Thailand.

“The one factor we would like is her to not return to Myanmar as a result of if she returns, we do not not know what’s going to occur to her,” stated a consultant, who declined to be recognized as a result of she was not authorised to talk to media.

Requested about Han Lay’s case on Friday, Thai international ministry spokesperson Tanee Sangrat stated authorities “didn’t make an arrest and haven’t any plans to ship her anyplace at this stage”.

Journey hub Thailand has typically been caught up in tugs of struggle between international locations looking for the return of residents and activists who say these people could be persecuted if despatched dwelling.

These included an Australia-based soccer participant arrested in Thailand in 2018 on the request of Bahrain for criticising its monarchy, and an 18-year-old Saudi girl who was stranded at Bangkok’s airport after fleeing her household.

A Myanmar junta spokesman couldn’t be reached for touch upon Han Lay’s case.

She and her supervisor have stated she was the topic of an Interpol crimson discover, the very best alert stage for a person. Thai police and the immigration bureau have declined to remark and Reuters couldn’t independently verify such a discover.

In a Fb (NASDAQ:) publish, Han Lay stated Myanmar police have been at Bangkok’s airport looking for to satisfy her, however she refused and had contacted the United Nations refugee company.

Thai police referred Reuters to the immigration bureau on the matter.

The UNHCR stated its coverage was to not verify particular person circumstances.

In a Tweet, Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch stated Thai authorities ought to grant Han Lay safety and “in no way” return her to Myanmar.