Thai court dismisses challenge of Chinese journalist’s detention

The South Bangkok Criminal Court on 9 October dismissed a challenge filed by lawyers representing detained Chinese journalist and UN-recognised refugee Bai Zhaodong on the grounds that the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs is considering a request for Bai’s extradition and the Court considers it probable cause to keep him detained.

According to the Immigration Act, the authorities can detain a person for as long as necessary pending departure to another country. Bai’s lawyers have argued that the Immigration Bureau may no longer have a reason to detain Bai since a third country has already approved his resettlement.  

Bai is a former investigative journalist for Caijing magazine. His work exposed large-scale corruption and a money laundering network involving local government officials and high-ranking officials in the Chinese Communist Party. 

Between 2011 and 2022, at least five charges were brought against him by various public departments across the country due to his reporting on fraud and corruption, including a charge of inciting subversion of state power. In September 2024, the Public Security Bureau of Yulin City issued an arrest warrant for Bai on trumped-up charges of extortion.

Bai fled China in 2023 and arrived in Thailand in 2024. In January 2026, he was placed in a detention facility pending relocation to a third country, but Thai authorities have barred him from leaving Thailand on scheduled flights twice in February and June.

During a hearing on 18 September, Bai said that he was detained 6 times by the Chinese authorities. During each detention, he was placed on a chair with his hands tied behind his back and interrogated for 24 hours straight while officers beat him. He would then be released without being formally charged. He also said he does not know what would happen to him if he is deported to China.

The Chinese Embassy requested Bai’s extradition in March 2026. On 16 September, the Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Bai on an extortion charge.

Montana Duangprapa, one of Bai’s lawyers, said that immigration police arrested him on 8 October while he was held in immigration detention. He was then taken to a public prosecutor to be indicted and start his extradition process. He was only allowed to contact his lawyer around 2 hours later. Montana said that his lawyers went to the Criminal Court to see him but found that the public prosecutor had already indicted him without a lawyer present. She noted that two Chinese Embassy personnel were present while Bai was being indicted along with officers from the Thai police’s foreign affairs division.

After being indicted, Bai was taken before a judge, who read him his charges according to is arrest warrant. When asked if he would willingly return to China, Bai refused and appointed lawyers to challenge his extradition. His extradition hearing will be held on 25 January 2027.

The 9 October ruling was delivered in absentia as Bai is now being detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison. Since he is no longer in immigration detention, the Immigration Bureau cannot bring him to court.