Concern Raised Regarding Cambodian Muslims

Concern raised regarding Cambodian Muslims coming to Thailand

SA KAEO: -- The commander of the Royal Thai Army's Burapha Task Force expressed concern Monday that syndicates may have been moving Muslims frrom Cambodia to join insurgents in Thailand's southernmost provinces.

A group of 14 Cambodian Muslim men re-entered Thailand Monday following their initial rejection by Thai immigration officials, as the authorities stepped up their surveillance of the Thai-Cambodian border for fear of their possible involvement in insurgency in the country's Muslim-majority southern border provinces.

Thai immigration officials at Aranyaprathet across the border from Cambodia's town of Poipet said 14 Muslim men from Cambodia were earlier denied entry after being found travelling with only Bt500-600 each. The group returned with the required cash guarantee of Bt20,000 each and were permitted to enter Thailand.

Maj-Gen. Kanit Sapitak, head of the Burapha Task Force, said immigration officials have been told to step up vigilance against Cambodian Muslims for security reasons.

He added that a strict cash requirement has been imposed to guarantee the solvency of those coming to the country with an unspecified purpose.

The general also said that immigration officials have been told to thoroughly check the sources for the cash guarantees of some Cambodian Muslims, arising from the concern that a syndicate may be channeling

reinforcements to join local insurgents in Thailand's far South.

There were 666 Cambodian Muslims who entered Thailand from Nov 1- Nov 26.

--TNA 2005-11-28