Thailand should be commended for managing the return of 40 Uyghurs to China, a deputy premier said on Friday, as his country endured a torrent of international condemnation over its secretive deportation and Bangkok embassies sent out security alerts.

The secret deportation by Thailand of dozens of Uyghur men to China that has sparked international condemnation is a diplomatic win for Beijing and a snub to the United States and the United Nations,

Human rights groups warned that the Uyghurs, who were held in Bangkok for more than a decade, will face mistreatment from Chinese authorities back in Xinjiang.