Activist Joshua Wong demands Hong Kong government response to blacklisting in Thailand
Security Bureau and Immigration Department says they ‘will not and should not interfere’ after Thailand denied the student leader’s entry at China’s request
Student activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung demanded local officials respond to the “blacklisting” of Hong Kong residents by other governments after he was denied entry to Thailand and detained for 12 hours at Bangkok airport on Wednesday.
Recounting the ordeal on a local radio programme yesterday, Wong, 19, said a country had every right to deny entry to anyone it wished, but to do so on the grounds of a foreign blacklisting was “incomprehensible”.
Thai officials confirmed Wong was turned away at Beijing’s request. China’s foreign ministry said it “respected Thailand’s exercise of immigration control”.
“Whether I am a threat to public security is up to the [country] to decide, but when they told me it was because I was wanted by another country, I was really quite shocked,” Wong said. “I would think the Hong Kong Security Bureau and Immigration Department have a duty to follow up on the case.”
Hong Kong’s Security Bureau echoed the mainland government’s response, saying it respected the right of other jurisdictions in exercising immigration control.
“We will not, and should not, interfere,” the statement said.