We don't condone torture: Abhisit

The Londonbased AI released a report on Tuesday that alleged Thai security forces "systematically" relied on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in a bid to obtain information.

The report was based on testimonies from torture victims compiled between mid2007 and mid2008.

But Abhisit said: "I want to reassure you that [torture] is not government policy and it was not carried out systematically. The Thai government does not support extrajudicial power," he told reporters.

The PM said he would investigate if there were extra-judicial practices by security forces fighting the insurgency, but he also questioned the accuracy of the report.

He also cited the case of an inquest last month, which ruled that a Muslim leader died after a beating by soldiers while being interrogated, as an example that showed the authorities did not tolerate or cover up torture.

Abhisit is due to make his first visit to the South on Saturday since becoming PM. He has already called for an increase in economic and cultural solutions to try to end the unrest.

"We must win the hearts and the cooperation of locals, otherwise we will merely stay with the same situation," he said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said the report, complied by Benjamin Zawacki, failed to establish all cases to make the claim that torture was conducted systematically.

"The government does not condone in any way, any acts that constitute the use of torture in violation of our law and Constitution," he said.

Thailand has been a party to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment since 2007. That was an international obligation which required the authorities to investigate all reported cases [of torture], he said.

Last month, a Narathiwat court ruled that soldiers tor¬tured Imam Yapa Kaseng to death during interrogation. That ruling suggested the authorities did not support a "culture of impunity", Tharit said.