Nikorn, Minister of Social Development and Human Security, revealed that he ordered the ministry's Permanent Secretary to coordinate the protection of Thai children who traveled abroad for summer monk ordination. This followed their detention in April. Plans are also in place to reunite these children with their families.
On 13 May 2026, reporters were informed that on 12 May, Nikorn Somkalang, Minister of Social Development and Human Security, said he assigned the ministry's Permanent Secretary to urgently direct relevant provincial social development offices to assist and protect the welfare of Thai children aged 4 to 15 who traveled abroad for summer monk ordination and were detained along with suspects in early April. This action followed notification from the Thai Immigration Bureau requesting urgent welfare protection for the children. Currently, the ministry, through related provincial child and family homes, has completed welfare protection for all the children.
Nikorn stated that upon fact-checking, most children had valid passports. The Songkhla provincial social development office initiated a National Referral Mechanism (NRM) screening process to check for victims of human trafficking and found no children fitting that category. They then coordinated with provincial offices responsible for the children’s home areas to assess family readiness, arrange for the children to be returned to their guardians, formalize care agreements, and ensure close follow-up on assistance.
Meanwhile, a small number of children without passports were detained abroad. They are currently awaiting court testimony as witnesses and are expected to be repatriated to Thailand by June 2026.
Nikorn added that he emphasized providing assistance to these children under the Child Protection Act B.E. 2546 (2003) by developing case management plans focusing on risk assessment and family readiness to support their appropriate return. The plan covers four key areas: 1) Education—preparing coordination with schools before the children's return to Thailand; 2) Health—arranging health checks and basic care, ensuring welfare protection at provincial child and family homes initially; 3) Family—conducting home visits to prepare before and after the children's return with long-term follow-up plans. For children unable to return home, the ministry will arrange suitable social welfare services; and 4) Economy—considering support entitlements such as assistance funds for children in poor families and child protection funds. In the long term, the ministry aims to enhance international cooperation to improve cross-border child protection mechanisms, making them clearer and more effective in the future.