Thailand asked to stop illegals

Thailand asked to stop illegals

BANGKOK (DPA): Malaysia has called on Thailand to stop hundreds of Bangladeshis who use the country as a transit route to enter and work illegally in Malaysia, the Nation newspaper reported yesterday.

Ambassador to Malaysia Vikrom Koompirochana said Kuala Lumpur thinks Thailand is too soft on the Bangladeshis, who often enter legally as tourists and then travel south to enter Malaysia illegally.

"I was invited to the Malaysian foreign ministry recently and was informed of its concerns on the presence of Bangladeshi people camping along the Thai border before illegally entering and working in Malaysia," the Nation quoted him as saying.

Thailand is also aware of nationals from other Southeast Asian countries entering Malaysia as tourists then illegally entering Thailand for work, an interior ministry source said.