SONGKHLA, 22 January 2013 Donations for Rohingya migrants totaling 2 million baht have been made by Thais across the country, while measures to deal with the asylum seekers are being discussed among international and local agencies.
According to reports, donations continued to be received at the immigration office in the southern province of Songkhla, where over 200 Rohingyas are detained. Food, clothing and relief packages have also been donated to the migrants by visiting residents.
Members of the public who wish to donate funds to the Rohingyas can transfer money to an account named “Rohingya Assistance Fund” of the Islamic Bank of Thailand, Songkhla Branch. Thus far, the money in the account has amounted to over 2 million baht.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand Amara Pongsapit said the commission is holding talks with the UN’s refugee agency, the UNHCR, on helping resettling a large number of Rohingyas in a third country. The commission is also urging the government to establish a concrete and permanent policy on ways to cope with future instances involving refugees fleeing home-grown violence to Thailand.
