On Friday, the US State Department imposed sanctions on an unspecified number of current and former Thai officials for their involvement in deporting at least 40 Uyghur men to China. This action was taken amid concerns that the deported individuals could face imprisonment or even death in China.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he is taking immediate steps to impose visa restrictions on current and former officials involved in or responsible for the deportations. While no Thai official has been named, the specific details of the visa restrictions were not provided. These restrictions could include denying entry to the United States. Rubio stated that they are dedicated to opposing China's attempts to force governments into sending Uyghurs and other groups back to China, where they face torture and forced disappearances. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Saturday that it had repeatedly assured concerned countries that China had promised the men would not be harmed and that Thailand would monitor their safety.

"Thailand has always upheld a long tradition of humanitarianism, particularly in providing assistance to displaced persons from various countries for more than half a century and will continue to do so," the ministry said in a statement. Thailand's defence and justice ministers announced plans to visit a group of men in China next week, with several Thai journalists invited to accompany them. The Uyghurs are a Turkic ethnic group, mostly Muslim, originally from Xinjiang in China's far west. They have faced long-standing tensions with Beijing due to alleged discrimination and efforts to suppress their cultural identity. In response, the Chinese government carried out a harsh crackdown on the Uyghurs, which some Western nations describe as genocide.

In 2014, Thai authorities detained over 300 Uyghurs who were fleeing China. By February, only 48 Uyghurs remained in detention when Thai officials planned to send them back to China, despite appeals from Thai lawmakers and international officials to stop the move. US Senator Marco Rubio strongly criticised this decision, stating that Uyghurs in China have suffered persecution, forced labour and torture. In Facebook posts, the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok stated, “40 Chinese nationals who had been smuggled were repatriated to Xinjiang on a chartered flight and they had all returned home and reunited with their families after more than 10 years." 

The embassy shared photos showing families enjoying naan, nuts, and fruits during their reunions. Senator Marco Rubio, a strong critic of Beijing, faced sanctions from the Chinese government twice in 2020 because of his support for Uyghur rights and the people of Hong Kong.