End of Khmer Muslim visas sought

Sa Kaeo (TNA) – The Royal Thai Army's Burapa Task Force, which oversees the border with Cambodia, will advise the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to consider suspending issuing visas to Cambodian Muslims after finding that increasing numbers are crossing the border and travelling to the kingdom's southern provinces, a senior officer said on Thursday.

Burapha Special Task Force Division 12 commander Col. Chaichaiyan Sothornchai said the special task force is investigating information that the southern insurgents were using the strategy to increase the Muslim population in the three southernmost provinces by encouraging Muslims from Cambodia and Burma to join their co-religionists in the South.

The Post Publishing Public Co

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the doors are closing ............................

Cambodians in JI terror link

Khmer Muslims 'join insurgents in South'

WASSANA NANUAM

A close aide to the prime minister has linked a group of Cambodian Muslims entering the country to the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist group, saying this underlines the need for bilateral intelligence cooperation between Thailand and its neighbour. Gen Wattanachai Chaimuenwong, an adviser on security affairs, said many have joined the Gurakan Mujahideen Islam Pattani insurgent group.

It's an effort to stop illegal Cambodian workers from coming to Thailand and living and working here illegaly.

Cambodia rejects 'Muslim JI' charge

Phnom Penh (Agencies) - Cambodia's foreign minister summoned Thai diplomats Monday to reject claims by a Thai general that Cambodian Muslims had links to the regional extremist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

"This is an accusation that the Cambodian government cannot accept," Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters after the meeting.

"There is no JI group in Cambodia. Cambodian Muslims support the government," he said.

Gen Wattanachai denies he linked Khmer Muslims to insurgency in the south

June 12, 2007 : Last updated 12:28 pm (Thai local time)

PM's security affairs advisor Gen Wattanachai Chaimuenwong denied saying that some Cambodian Muslims were involving in the insurgency in the deep south of Thailand.

He insisted that no foreign network or persons involved in the violence in the southern provinces of Thailand.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday issued an angry denial that Cambodian Muslims involved in the insurgency in the south.

"Because of their own weakness, they are now finding others to blame,'' he said at a groundbreaking ceremony for a bridge over the Tonle Sap river.

Some news reports said retired Gen Wattanachai said some Khmer Muslims were part of terror network that actively worked in the south.

Wattanachai on Tuesday said that he never said so.

"What I said is that there are a large number of Cambodian Muslims entering Thailand but they disappeared. We have to find out where they are," he said.

He said he issued a clarification on the matter and asked Thai Foreign Ministry to send it to the Cambodian side.

Shortly after Hun Sen's speech Monday, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong summoned Thai Ambassador to Cambodia Surasak Suparat, the Thai Embassy official, to formally convey the Cambodian government's reaction to the Thai government.