Isoc officers transferred over Rohingya

28 Jan 2013
Bangkok Post

Two army officers attached to the southern area Region 4 office of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), suspected of being involved in the smuggling of Royingha migrants into the country, have been transferred out of the area, an army source said.

The source said Lt-Gen Udomchai Thammasaroraj, the Fourth Army commander, signed an order to transfer the two -- a lieutenant colonel and a lieutenant -- although in an investigation there was no evidence to confirm their involvement in the trafficking of the illegal immigrants.
"However, they have been transferred out of the area to prevent further problems because there had been complaints against them," the source said.

There was no evidence against them because tambon administration organisation (TAO) officials who were involved in the smuggling of the Rohingya people had not been arrested for interrogation.
Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, the army chief, said to cope with the problem of the Rohingya migrants the army needed cooperation from other agencies such as the Interior Ministry and police.

Pol Lt-Col Paisith Sangkhahapong, director of the Department of Special Investigation's (DSI) anti-human trafficking centre, said it was agreed last week at a meeting of security agencies that more than 800 Rohingya migrants who had been arrested for illegal entry would sent from the country in six months.
In the meantime, Thailand would provide them with humanitarian assistance.
The meeting was also attended by Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul.

Thailand would coordinate with Myanmar to take the Rohingya people back and with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) help to find a third country to take them for resettlement.
Pol Lt-Col Paisit said there was no evidence that the illegal Rohingya migrants had been smuggled into the country by a human trafficking ring.

They were helped to enter the country and provided with shelter illegally but there was no evidence of a third country they were to be sent to, he said.