Thailand's premier said on Thursday international standards and human rights principles must be followed, responding to activists' concerns that 48 Uyghurs held in the country for more than a decade had been secretly deported to China.

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.

The Chinese embassy in Thailand has confirmed that a group of Uyghur men detained in Thailand for more than a decade have been deported to China.