The asylum seekers, which included children, nursing women, sick and elderly, were transported directly to the Immigration Detention Center.
The arrests follow the visit of Lord David Alton last week, who met with authorities to address issues of overcrowding in the detention centers and inhumane treatment.
Lord Alton also held meetings with asylum seekers to gather witness testimony to the issues facing the Pakistani Christian community in Bangkok. Pakistani asylum seekers in Bangkok, most of which are fleeing religious persecution, are often targeted in Bangkok due to their noticeably dark skin. The UNHCR in Bangkok has experienced a back-log in their system, which as enabled the asylum seekers’ visas to expire before getting a chance to have an interview with the UNHCR, therefore making the asylum seekers prone to arrest.
To learn more about the situation of Pakistani Christians in Thailand see the links below.