Five of the 20 illegal Uighur migrants who escaped from an immigration detention centre in the border province of Songkhla on Monday have been re-arrested in Malaysia, Thai police said yesterday.
National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda said the remaining 15 are still on the run, and a search is ongoing to hunt them down.
He said he believed the Uighurs knew their escape route in advance, adding a probe is being carried out to determine whether anyone helped them.
They are likely to be still hiding in the border area between Thailand and Malaysia, Pol Gen Chakthip said, adding he has instructed immigration officers across the country to boost security at detention facilities.
He said there was no indication linking the escapees to the two ethnic Uighur Chinese accused of being involved in the Erawan shrine bomb blast on Aug 17, 2015. The explosion killed 20 and wounded 130.
The Nathawee Provincial Court in Songkhla had approved warrants for the arrest of the 20 Uighurs who escaped at 2am on Monday.
Based on the warrants, they face charges of violating the Immigration Act and property damage, police said.
According to police, the 20 detainees slipped out of the facility through two holes they made in the wall of their cell. Five others were unable to get out in time before police noticed the escape was in progress.
Immigration Bureau chief Suthipong Wongpin yesterday said eight immigration officers responsible for the detention facility were transferred to Immigration Division 6, which supervises the Songkhla immigration office. Earlier, the media reported that six officers were shifted.
He made his remarks yesterday after travelling to the detention facility and said he believed the Uighurs had slipped into Malaysia.
He is now working with Malaysian authorities to apprehend them.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said yesterday between 100 and 200 illegal Uighur migrants are being detained by Thai authorities. If they face charges in their countries, they will be sent back, he said.