Jerry Hamer
Associated Press
Model Thaw Nandar Aung, also known as Han Lay (photo via her Instagram, @hann_may)
BANGKOK (AP) — A Burmese model who denounced her country’s military rulers at a beauty pageant in Thailand last year said on Sept. 23 that she feared she might be forced to return home.
Thaw Nandar Aung, also known as Han Lay, told The Associated Press by phone that she has been stranded at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok since she was denied return to Thailand after arriving in Thailand on a short trip from Vietnam. She had been living in Thailand but needed to leave and re-enter to extend her stay.
She said she was seeking help from the UN refugee agency to avoid being sent back to Myanmar, where she fears harsh punishment from the military junta she has criticized.
Those denied entry to Thailand are usually deported to the last point of departure, but UN agencies have suggested she will be arrested in Vietnam and then deported to Myanmar.
Thai foreign ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat confirmed in a text message that Thaw Nandar Aung was denied entry to Thailand “due to a travel document issue”.
“The authorities have not arrested her and at this stage there are no plans to send her anywhere,” he said.
Myanmar’s military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 and has cracked down on widespread opposition to her rule. It has used deadly force to suppress demonstrations and has arrested critics, including actors and other celebrities, under various laws, with possible sentences ranging from three years in prison to the death penalty. In July, authorities executed four activists accused of terrorism.
Thaw Nandar Aung said that upon arriving in Bangkok, Thai immigration authorities entered her name in their online database and then asked her if she had reported her lost passport in Vietnam, to which she replied “no”. She said they then showed her a screen where they said she had an Interpol red notice for her, meaning a country’s police force asked her to be detained.
There was no immediate confirmation that Interpol had issued such a notice. However, Myanmar’s military junta has unilaterally revoked the passports of many of its main opponents in order to restrict their movements.
At last year’s Miss International pageant in Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, Thaw Nandar Aung used her platform as a Myanmar contestant to talk about the killing of pro-democracy protesters in her home country.
“Every citizen of the world wants a prosperous and peaceful environment in their country,” she said. “In doing so, the leaders concerned should not use their power and selfishness.”
“Today in my country, Myanmar, while I will be on this stage, many people are dying, more than 100 people are dying today. My apologies to all those who lost their lives,” she said, often pausing to force hold back tears.
She added: “I want to say here, please help Myanmar. We need your urgent international help now.”
On September 26, the Bangkok Post reported that she had been granted refugee status in Canada. The Post also reported that she left Thailand on Tuesday, September 27, on Korean Air flight KE652.
