An Islamic judge in southern Thailand has refuted a news report which quoted him as saying that Malaysian Muslims openly indulging in vices will be taken to court.

Contacted yesterday, Islamic judge for Betong, Yala, Ibrahim Ahmad said the district's religious council will not initiate legal action against these Malaysians.

"However, we will hold internal 'trials' within the council in order to advise such people and dissuade them from continuing with their activities," he added.

In a report in Berita Harian yesterday, Ibrahim was quoted as expressing "disgust at the sight of older Malaysian Muslims consorting with young women known to be prostitutes."

He added that these Muslim tourists, mostly whom northern Perak and eastern Kedah, were also fond of openly eating and drinking alcohol during the fasting month.

Ibrahim said these men acted as if Islamic laws did not apply to them in Southern Thailand and was further quoted as warning that if detention and counseling failed to deter them, the last resort would be to 'drag them to court'.

Southern Thailand, which is the largest province where Muslims reside, is also known as a 'vice haven', especially Betong.

No jusrisdiction

Other Thai authorities, when contacted, also denied that Malaysian Muslims would be taken to court for religious offenses committed in Betong or elsewhere in the country.

They said that prostitution, among other vices, were generally not punished by the law enforcement authorities.

Yala Islamic Council's communications officer Sofian Datu said he did not speak to Ibrahim on the matter but added that he was not aware the council could take legal action against wrongdoers, Malaysian Muslims or otherwise.

"We don't even have any power to punish Thai Muslims who hire prostitutes," he stressed.

Sofian said the council could not even impose fines, let alone imprisonment, on those who commit the vices, unless the women themselves made a complaint or report for rape.

Young Muslim Association of Thailand officer Mohammad Daud dismissed the possibility of legal action against Malaysian Muslims who hired prostitutes in a country where efforts to legalise prostitution were gaining ground.

"How can any action be taken against Malaysian Muslims? A bill to recognise prostitution as a legal profession has even been tabled in Parliament in this country," he added.

He was referring to steps initiated in February by the Thai government's think-tank, the National Economic and Social Development Board, to legalise the country's economically significant sex-trade.

Wrong information

The press attache in the Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur also denied the possibility of a legal 'clamp down' by religious authorities in Yala.

Ekon Khunacaroen. said although the law currently prohibits prostitution, a mandate has not been given specifically to the religious authorities in southern Thailand to punish criminal wrongdoings.

To her knowledge, she added that there were no Islamic courts to charge those guilty of religious crimes.

"Some people have the wrong information on the matter. We do not have the system where the Islamic laws work side by side with civil laws.

"Even Muslim marriages are not recognised by the government unless they are registered with the civil courts," she explained.

However, Ekon stressed that prostitution was a crime in Thailand punishable by the law, whether the perpetrators were Thais or Malaysians.

"Thailand is not a 'vice-haven.' Tourists who come to Thailand and commit the crime of hiring prostitutes will be arrested" she added.