Radio NPR said that the case of Rahaf Al-Qunun has highlighted Thailand's mixed record when it comes to asylum-seekers and refugees.

Lucy Zelić, SBS Television Chief Football Host and SBS World News Sports Presenter, wrote a tweet yesterday saying she had sent a letter to the Thai prime minister calling him to release Hakeem Al-Araibi and urging him to allow his return to Australia as soon as possible.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has reiterated Australia's deep concerns over Thailand's detention of a Melbourne-based refugee footballer in a meeting with senior Thai government figures, reported SBS News.

FIFA stated that Mr. Hakeem Al-Araibi, who is currently being detained in prison in Thailand awaiting the outcome of extradition proceedings to Bahrain, should be allowed to return safely to Australia where he can resume his career as a professional footballer.

The results of the meeting of Football Federation Australia (FFA) President Chris Nikou with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa were completely negative, said Yahya Al-Hadid, president of the Gulf Institute for Democracy and Human Rights.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said she is to meet with Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai to advocate for the safe return to Australia of Mr Hakeem Al-Araibi.

Radha Stirling, the founder of Detained in Dubai, said: “Great news that Thailand has allowed the UN to assess Rahaf rather than sending her back to the country from which she was seeking asylum. Thailand needs to allow Hakeem to return to Australia and stop Bahrain’s legal abuse.”

Australian football player Craig Foster said in a tweet that "Day [yesterday] 38 of detention for Hakeem Al-Araibi," urging to write to president of FIFA, president of Asian Football Confederation, Prime Minister of Thailand, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Prime Minister of Australia and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia to support Al-Araibi's case.

The Australian SBS website said that an international criminal justice watchdog has released a letter criticizing the Australian government for facilitating the detainment of Bahraini refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi.

The Australian SBS website stated that Football Victoria has urged its 350,000 members to get in contact with Australian government officials to call for the release of Bahraini footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi.

Human rights groups along with current and former soccer players on Saturday called on FIFA and the Australian government to intervene to stop a Melbourne-based refugee and semi-professional soccer player being extradited from Thailand to Bahrain.

The Australian SBS website said that Detained Melbourne-based refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi thanked Australia for supporting him as he fears deportation from Thailand to his native Bahrain.

The Australian SBS website stated that Craig Foster, former Socceroo and current SBS commentator, has challenged the president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to support Australian refugee footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi or resign.

The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper stated that lawyers for Hakeem Al-Araibi have lodged an urgent request for Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to grant the refugee footballer Australian citizenship.

Supporters of the Australia-based refugee Hakeem al-Araibi have petitioned the United Nations to seek the young footballer’s freedom from a Thai jail cell, where he awaits extradition to Bahrain over a conviction he says is politically motivated, reported the Guardian.

A former Thai foreign minister and veteran diplomat has urged his government to free the refugee footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi from detention and halt the extradition process to Bahrain, reported WAtoday newspaper.

A member of the British House of Lords called on the UK Ambassador to Thailand to intervene and assist the Australian authorities in ensuring the safe return of Bahraini refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi to Australia.

former Bahrain international footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi told media outlets and activists that Thai and Bahraini governments are working together to extradite him so that he'd be tortured in Bahrain, despite having the right to political asylum in Australia.

A former Bahrain national footballer with Australian refugee status must remain in detention in Thailand as he awaits possible extradition, a Bangkok court said Tuesday, as campaigners say they fear he could be "tortured" if returned to the Gulf state.

Like critical football games, Bahrain did its best to arrest football player Hakeem Al-Araibi, revealing the magnitude of the ill intentions it hides for the player currently held in a detention center in Bangkok, Thailand.