Rohingya inquiry gets new chief

The head of the Immigration Bureau, Chatchawan Suksomchit, has been assigned to supervise the handling of all cases relating to Rohingya migrants, Department of Special Investigation (DSI) director-general Thawee Sodsong said on Friday.

Pol Lt-Gen Chatchawan had been assigned to the job by Prime MInister Abhisit Vejjajiva, he said.

The immigration chief said later that the investigation would target human trafficking, because the Rohingya migrants arriving without legal papers, whether they were voluntary or not, were all considered illegal immigrats,

It was probable the investigation would expand to include illegal migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Iraq and Iran, he said.

Forensic expert Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan has also been assigned by the prime minister to help investigate these cases.