Published on September 07, 2005

The Young Muslim Association of Thailand (YMAT) yesterday expressed its desire to enter Malaysia to console the 131 Thai Muslims currently being sheltered in the northern state of Kelantan.

It also urged the Thai government to assist them. YMAT president Mimanase Sama-ali said his group was ready to visit the Thais and offer them advise on humanitarian grounds, but this would require the government’s collaboration with Malaysian officials so they can enter the country.

“Malaysian law is very strict. Unless you are a nationally recognised Muslim organisation and endorsed by the government, chances on visiting the Thai Muslims are very slim,” he said.

The 131 Thai Muslims from Narathiwat were taken into custody last Wednesday by Malaysian police in the border state of Kelantan. They said they feared persecution by Thai security forces, who have been accused of targeting Muslims in their efforts to quell the insurgency in the deep South.

Meanwhile, a bomb exploded by remote control in the back of a truck, aimed at killing police and soldiers at a patrol station in Yala’s Than To district.

Charoen Aksornngern, the truck’s driver, said he was carrying liquid rubber from Phattalung to a local factory. He stopped only once to have a meal and had no idea when the bomb was placed on his truck.

Officials said an unknown number of suspects followed behind the truck and detonated the bomb with a mobile phone. However, the bomb exploded after the truck driver had already passed the patrol station. No one was injured.

In Narathiwat’s Waeng district, an unknown number of suspects placed a bomb under a tree along a military patrol route. The bomb was ignited remotely with a mobile phone after the patrol had passed the tree. No one was injured.

Investigating officials attributed both incidents to Muslim insurgents.

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