Only about three or four had expressed interest in going to the United States, said the sources on condition of anonymity.

It is normal practice for Seoul to grant North Korean asylum seekers permission to resettle in South Korea on a case by case basis. Such permission comes after the United Nations refugee agency and Thai authorities finish legal procedures.

The process can take up to several months, depending on legal complications.

Relocating "displaced North Koreans" to a third country is usually done in a quiet manner to prevent Thailand from being seen as a haven for foreign refugees.

But the latest incident has reportedly left all parties in a difficult position because there is no stated guideline as to what each party or government should do.

Authorities were scrambling to contain damage from the mass arrest that has put Thailand in a bad light among the international community, because many see the plight of "displaced" North Koreans as a humanitarian issue - not one of law and order.

The 175 North Koreans are processed through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees after which, the US or South Korea, will begin resettlement proceedings.

At least 16 of the 175 were said to have a "person of concern", or POC status granted by the UN refugee agency to asylum seekers. The group is made up of 128 women, 38 men and ten children, police said.

Meanwhile, in Seoul, South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon said in Seoul: "We are trying to sort out related details through our embassy in Thailand. The government will hold consultations with the Thai government before reviewing measures to be taken."

Officials in Bangkok said there was an understanding between the  government and the international community that North Korean "displaced people" should be treated in a discreet manner to prevent any possible retribution against an individual's family members.

At a press conference yesterday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kitti Wasinondh said the government was concerned Thailand was being exploited as a transit point for "human smuggling".

The Immigration Bureau considered the 175 to be violators of the country's immigration law. The government would work with concerned countries to prevent illegal entry to the Kingdom, Kitti said.

An official source said the North Koreans travelled here in separate groups via China and Laos over a period of two to three months.

News about the 175 refugees surfaced on Tuesday night when police raided a home in a Bangkok residential area following complaints from neighbours over the high number of people entering and leaving the home.