BANGKOK Suspected terrorists have sneaked into Thailand over the past 12 months to avoid a clampdown in neighbouring Malaysia, a report Saturday quoted Thailand's top military commander as saying.

Supreme Commander General Surayud Chulanont's reported comments mark the first public admission by any senior official from Thailand that members of Muslim extremist groups have entered the country.

Surayud said that while there was no concrete evidence the extremists were planning attacks in Thailand, police were monitoring their movements here, according to the Bangkok Post .

He said they had entered Thailand late last year and this year.