Thai officials on alert of Rohingyas heading for Trang

TRANG, THAILAND, June 24 (TNA) - Security officials here are patrolling the river after receiving intelligence reports that more than 500 Rohingya Muslims are travelling by boats and may arrive the area soon after fleeing the bloody violence between Rohingyas and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in western Myanmar. Officials said Kantang district officer along with village headmen are travelling by boats and patrolling between the port in Kantang district and the mouth of the Trang River after receiving intelligence reports that more than 500 Rohingyas are heading for the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. Combined Thai government forces are also patrolling near islands and abandoned fish raising areas on fears that Myanmar workers in Trang might offer shelter to these fleeing people. So far, no suspicious boats were found. However, security officials continue staying alert as they said the Rohingyas would be pushed back to sea if they landed in the province. Fighting between Rohingyas and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists erupted earlier this month in western Myanmar. Thousands of Rohingyas have escaped to Bangladesh but were pushed back. Myanmar government considers Rohingyas to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and denies them citizenship while Bangladesh also does not accept them, saying that these people have been living in Myanmar and should be recognised as Bangladeshi citizens. (TNA)