Chakthip to widen Rohingya inquiry

National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda on Monday ordered a widening of the probe into the case of 56 Rohingya refugees who were found on a boat moored offshore in Krabi province on Sunday.

Pol Gen Chakthip said an investigation is necessary in order to find out who was involved in the exodus.

Some 700,000 Rohingya Muslims reportedly crossed the border from Myanmar's Rakhine State into Bangladesh after militant attacks in August sparked a military crackdown. However, many started emigrating and made perilous sea journeys to various countries as the camps in Bangladesh are reportedly overcrowded.

Since 2012, the Rohingya, mostly of Muslim ethnicity, have fled by sea following an outbreak of sectarian violence in Rakhine State, some falling prey to human traffickers. The exodus reportedly peaked in 2015, when an estimated 25,000 people fled across the Andaman Sea for Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Pol Gen Chakthip said he believed Thailand serves as a link to third countries for fleeing Rohingya.

"Although they [Rohingya] just passed by Thailand, legal action will be pursued against all Thais who are found to have been involved in the migration or human trafficking even if they are officials of the country. This measure is in compliance with our state policy," he said.

Officials would be sacked if there was solid evidence about their complicity in human trafficking, Pol Gen Chakthip said after the vessel with 56 Rohingya on board was found docked between Koh Ha and Koh Lanta in the coastal province early on Sunday morning.

Of the 56, 19 are men, 18 women, 11 girls and eight boys. No other nationals were found on the boat. Koh Lanta police chief ML Phatthanachak Chakkaphan said all the refugees boarded the boat from Rakhine State and were destined for Malaysia.

However, stormy weather forced them to seek shelter in Thai territorial waters on Saturday night.

Pol Col ML Phatthanachak said the refugees and their craft were freed and allowed to continue their journey to Malaysia on Sunday since they could not find evidence of human trafficking in their investigation.

In a gesture of goodwill, Krabi residents handed over essential items to the refugees before their departure.

Commenting on the issue, Krabi governor Pol Lt Col ML Kittibodee Prawit said Thai authorities complied with the state policy of not accepting boats with migrants.