Muslims detained in Thailand

From correspondents in Bangkok

November 27, 2005

AT least 86 Cambodian Muslims entering Thailand on tourist visas have been detained by the military, officials said today, but it was not clear if their arrest was connected with unrest in southern Thailand.

The Cambodians passed through Thai immigration at Aranyaprathet on the Cambodian border yesterday, according to an immigration officer.

"We were asked by the Eastern Military Task Force to strictly check any Cambodians coming into the country but we didn't find anything wrong with their papers so we had no reason to refuse their entry," the officer said.

"But after that, they were caught by the armed forces."

One more villager was shot dead yesterday by suspected Islamic militants as daily violence continues to claim victims in the south.

Boonchu Chaisri, 59, was gunned down in Narathiwat province by attackers who approached him in his rice field to ask for directions, police Sub-Lieutenant Supachoke Vimonsin said.

"Right after Boonchu turned his back to the strangers, he was shot three times at the back," Mr Supachoke said.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/commo...55E1702,00.html

Islam in Cambodia? Since when? I would have thought that no-one would be interested outside of the "traditional" areas. I guess oil money can buy a lot of houses, schools, mosques and people too.

I met a few Cham(sunni) Muslins during my time over there but they were fairly easy to get on with and didnt have the hang like someother factions of the outfit.(they like a beer or 3)

No restrictions on the women ..ie No Guiness Bottle daywear and intermarrage with other khmers was quite common.

Even knew of one UNTAC (yank) guy who married a little cracker and again NO probs.

They with others got well FKUCed by the K.R...in the 1980s but have started to get back togeter again.

Couple of mosques just outside P.P.with lots of little bars beside them and as far as I know never been any hassle.

Interesting ethnic group, the Chams. They only pray once a week on Fridays at noon, instead of five times a day. The "call" is often made by a drummer, rather than a Muezzin wailing away through the loudspeakers, and they still retain a significant number of other pre-Islamic, animist traditions. One of the villages I visited even had pigs running around, though I understand that the taboo against eating pork products still holds firm.

I suppose it's feasible they were trying to enter Thailand on some kind of jihadist or separatist mission, as most of their immams have studied in Malaysia, where they were no doubt exposed to more mainstream, and possibly fundamentalist, Islamic influences.

Who cares why they were trying to come to Thailand ? I fully commend the Thai government for keeping them out. If they were allowed to go back to Cambodia, they were extremely lucky. They should have been shot on sight, just as they have done to so many innocent Buddhists in southern Thailand.