China and Turkey in tug-of-war over suspected Uygurs in Thailand
Turkey and China want group of illegal immigrants repatriated while Thailand tries to confirm nationalities of the detained Muslims
A group of suspected Uygur Muslims has become the focus of a diplomatic tug-of-war in Thailand between China and Turkey, with both countries wanting to repatriate them and hundreds of other suspected Uygurs detained in Thailand as illegal immigrants.
The group of 17, all from the same family, were detained by Thai police in March last year after illegally entering overland from Cambodia.
Two of the family's 13 children were born in custody.
The family, who use the name Teklimakan, have spent most of the past year in the main police immigration detention centre in Bangkok.
The group claimed to be Turkish and, while still in detention, were issued with passports by the Turkish Embassy and granted permission to travel to Turkey.
China insists the 17 detainees are Chinese Uygurs who should be returned to the northwest Chinese region of Xinjiang , according to court documents.