Thai embassy in Cambodia ordered to tighten visa screening

The Thai embassy in Phnom Penh has been instructed to tighten screening of applicants for visa to Thailand, a deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday.

Piriya Khempol, the deputy spokesman, was quoted by Thai news group The Nation as saying that the embassy was instructed to take the action after Gen Watanachai Chaimuanwong, an adviser to the prime minister on security affairs, voiced concern that international terrorists could try to sneak into Thailand from Cambodia and Indonesia.

Watanachai said the international terrorists, who are members of Jemaah Islamiyah Group.

Apart from the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, other embassies in other countries were also ordered to tighten the screening of visa applications, Piriya said.

He said the embassies have an online network to cross-check the applicants' name with the blacklists of the Immigration Bureau and other security agencies.

Source: Xinhua