Police in Thailand said Monday they will deport 91 Rohingya boat people who landed on the country's southern coast while fleeing from Burma.
Authorities say the group was detained after coming to shore on Saturday evening with engine problems as they tried to make their way to Malaysia.
The United Nations describes the Muslim, Bengali-speaking Rohingya of Burma as one of the world's most persecuted minorities.
Mainly Buddhist Burma effectively denies citizenship and property rights to the Rohingya, leading to their exploitation and prompting many to flee the country.
Human rights activists have in the past accused the Thai navy of towing Rohingya asylum-seekers back to sea and setting them adrift.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
