More boat people caught off Phangnga

RANONG : The navy has detained 78 more Rohingya boat people and turned them over to immigration authorities.

The boat holding the Burmese ethnic minority group was found yesterday drifting near the Surin Islands in Phangnga. Its engine had broken down, Third Navy commander Narong Theswisal said.

The boat people told naval officers they were heading to Malaysia from Burma.

The migrants, all male, were sent to Ranong police, who would refer them to immigration authorities, Vice Admiral Narong said. He said immigration police were expected to deport them to Burma for entering Thai territory illegally.

Four were seriously ill and several others injured. They have been sent to Ranong Hospital for treatment. The rest were detained at the Pak Nam Ranong police station.

Vice Admiral Narong said the navy was concerned that migrating Rohingya in Thai waters could pose a security threat.

"I want to tell the Rohingya that they shouldn't enter Thai territory any more as Thailand now has a lot of unemployed," he said. "They should head to another country."

Lt Kwanchai Ketphan, commander of the patrol boat that picked up the Rohingya, said arrested migrant Mamut Hutsen, 50, told officers in Thai that before reaching the Surin Islands his group was stopped by the Burmese navy.

They were caned and detained in Burma's Mergui town, Lt Kwanchai quoted Mr Hutsen as saying.

Before releasing them, the Burmese had threatened to kill each member of the group if they were found again in Burmese waters, he said.

The recent influx of Rohingya to Thailand has prompted the government to seek the cooperation of other countries in the region to stamp out the problem.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday he would discuss the illegal migrant issue with the Foreign Ministry.

He also said he would look into inviting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as well as other countries to discuss ways to deal with Rohingya-related problems.

The UN refugee agency has expressed concern over the fate of 126 Rohingya it claims are being held in Thailand and has sought access to talk to them. They are among hundreds of boat people coming to Thailand in the past year.

The army insists that all boat people have returned to the sea after being given food and water.