Surat Thani: Almost 100 Rohingya migrants held at a detention centre in Muang district on Monday night broke windows in a protest against regulations, prompting a beef-up in security.
Surat Thani police chief Apichart Boonsriroj said crowd control officers will be deployed as a precaution because most of the staff at the detention centre are not trained to handle hazardous situations.
A total of 94 Rohingya migrants, women and children, are being held at the centre which is a regional occupation-training centre, known as the Sri Surat Home, run by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Resources.
Pol Maj Gen Apichart said the migrants seemed upset after they were not allowed to bring food and other belongings to their living quarters to celebrate the Laylat al Baraat holiday, or Barat Night, one of the holiest nights in the Islamic year. It is considered a night of forgiveness and repentence.
Surat Thani deputy governor Wichawut Jinto and Pol Maj Gen Apichart rushed to the centre with 50 police officers.
Five Rohingya protest leaders were taken for questioning and informed of the detention centre's regulations. Barbed wire was placed around the building and more lighting installed.
One Tuesday, Pol Maj Gen Apichart led more than 80 crowd control officers and local administrators to the centre and searched the sleeping quarters. Several plastic bags containing small stones and some dried food were found.
Officials also said the Rohingya migrants also demanded they be resettled in Malaysia and not the United States.
According to Pol Maj Gen Apichart said 35 of the detainees are recognised as victims of human trafficking. The rest are considered to be illegal migrants.
Sudarat Pansawat, director of the Sri Surat Home, said police and local administrators will step up security to prevent a recurrence of the violence.
"We are limited to providing assistance to the migrants. We can do nothing about their demands to be resettled in a third country. It depends on government policy," she said.
Meanwhile, National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general Anusit Khunakorn said there would be a "surprise" in the outcome of the government's handling of the Rohingya migrant problem.
He said the government's commitment to solving the problem would enable state authorities to tackle the issue more efficiently.
Mr Anusit said the Asean Economic Community could bring good news for the Rohingya, as member countries are likely to cooperate in finding a solution.
Asked about pressure on Thailand to do more, the NSC chief said each country has its own interests to protect, but eventually will realise it should work together with others to tackle the problem.
