Thai government faced with new abuse charges
The country's prime minister has previously said the charges would be investigated
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Sunday, 25, Jan 2009 11:48
Thailand's government has come under criticism again for its alleged mistreatment of Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar.
The south-east Asian country has been accused of abusing migrants coming to its shores via boat and then leaving them to drift at sea.
Al Jazeera cites villagers in Kura Buri in Thailand's south as saying that they had been asked to remove an engine of a boat holding Rohingya refugees, a marginalised ethnic community in Bangladesh and Myanmar, before towing it back to sea.
Speaking to the news provider about the incident which occurred in December, they said: "You can see all manner of discarded items including shoes, caps, blankets, water bottles... No one here knows what has happened to these 46 people, or at least no one is telling us."
Previously, the Thai government said it had launched an investigation into previous abuse claims, adding that anyone found to be involved in the case would be held accountable.
Yesterday, the country's foreign ministry said it would host a regional conference to discuss solutions to the problems posed by mass migration from neighbouring countries.
A spokesman said discussions had been held with representatives from India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Myanmar and that the United Nations high commissioner for refugees was also being consulted.
The Thai government is yet to comment on the latest abuse claims.