KOTA BARU: Enforcement authorities and community leaders in Southern Thailand are hoping that Malaysian authorities can help monitor Thai youths in the country, as many of them are getting involved in vice.
They said the situation might become serious if left unchecked as many Thai youngsters living in Malaysia were involved in drugs and other social issues.
Yala Islamic Council deputy president Dr Ibrahim Yanya said many youths in southern Thailand were involved in drug trafficking.
"Youths in this region are mostly Muslims who have a bright future, but unfortunately, they are getting involved in these problems. They are not only involved in Thailand, but also in Malaysia.
"I have read a lot of news reports in Malaysia about these youths from southern Thailand getting arrested for distributing and smuggling drugs, besides also becoming addicts," he said.
He believed the majority of these South Thailand youths lacked religious knowledge, which caused them to fall into these activities.
Therefore, Ibrahim hoped the relevant authorities, both in Thailand and Malaysia, would pay close attention to the problem.
Than To district police chief Colonel Thanapol Yaowapat said he hoped his counterpart in Malaysia could help monitor Thai youths in the country.
"Some of them could be involved in immoral activities while the rest might be members of the anti-government (Thai) group.
"We do not want our people to cause trouble and disturb the peace in a neighbouring country," he added.