Thailand's foreign minister has denied a report that most of the Thai Muslims who fled the restive south for Malaysia last year wanted to return home, but pledged they would be safe if they did.

"No one has shown any sign that they wanted to come back, but if any of them did want to return, we would fully guarantee their safety," Kantathi Suphamongkhon told reporters.

The flight of the 131 Thai Muslims triggered a diplomatic row between Thailand and mainly Muslim Malaysia, which insisted that the group should not be forced to return, particularly if their safety could not be assured.

Malaysia's official Bernama news agency reported Monday that Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said he had discussed the fate of the Thai Muslims with Kantathi, who had said that 99 of them wanted to return home.

But Kantathi called the report "inaccurate", and said he and Syed Hamid had not discussed the fate of the Muslims when they met last week in Bali on the sidelines of a gathering of Asean foreign ministers.

Thank Malaysia

Kantathi also thanked Malaysia for allowing Thai authorities to meet with 99 of the Thai Muslims, and said he expected Thai officials would soon meet with the rest of the group.

The 131 Thai Muslims fled across the border from their homes in southern Thailand in August 2005, citing insecurity and fear of persecution by the Thai government.

In December, Malaysia extradited to Thailand one of the group who was wanted in connection with the Muslim insurgency raging in southern Thailand, which has left more than 1,200 people dead over the past two years.