The Thai junta knew that two Chinese men it detained were refugees awaiting resettlement in Canada but still deported them to China, according to a United Nations letter seen by Reuters.
The letter, sent by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to the Thai foreign ministry, contradicts Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's statement last week that Thailand "did not know" that the men were under UNHCR protection.
Military-ruled Thailand has been criticized for deporting the two dissidents, Jiang Yefei and Dong Guangping, at Beijing's request in mid-November, despite both being recognized as refugees.