"If any of them want their nationality to be revoked, they can apply to the Interior Ministry. We will arrange it for them," Kongsak said.

In late August, 131 Thais sneaked across the southern border to Malaysia, saying they feared for their safety. To Thailand's surprise, Malaysia allowed a UN agency to interview them then moved them to a detention facility in Trengganu province.

Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said on Wednesday that the group had said its members were unwilling to return, even though the government had guaranteed their safety.

Their number fell to 130 after Kuala Lumpur deported one man wanted here for allegedly participating in a raid on a military outpost in January last year in which weapons were stolen.

Kongsak dismissed a report that people are fleeing some southern provinces.

His records clearly show more people moving into the area than moving out, he said.

However, it was true that some people were fleeing danger zones, he said. Safety measures for teachers, who are frequent targets of violence, had been boosted recently, he added.

The Nation