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Government vows to step up security (r)



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EMBASSY SIEGE<br>
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Government vows to step up security<br>
</font><font size=5><i>Sanan dismisses conspiracy theories<br>
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</i>T</font></b><font size=3>he government has pledged to step up
protection at all foreign missions to allay security fears in the wake of
the Burmese embassy siege.<br>
Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said Burma's call for reinforced security
surveillance was being attended to and that extra protection would be
mounted at other foreign missions as well.<br>
Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart said police would increase their
presence outside the embassies while inside, the individual missions were
responsible for arranging their own safety measures.<br>
Mr Surin denied Rangoon had expressed displeasure at the government's
decision to provide free passage for the hostage-takers as a way to
resolve the crisis.<br>
Mr Surin said his Burmese counterpart Win Aung who inspected the embassy
on Monday, was glad the incident was resolved peacefully.<br>
Win Aung, however, urged the Thai government to tighten security at the
Burmese embassy and said the incidence had hurt the morale of his
country's diplomats here.<br>
The Interior Ministry would now review security procedures at Maneeloy
Holding Centre for Burmese refugees in Ratchaburi, said to be a shelter
for anti-Rangoon elements.<br>
Maj-Gen Sanan said two of the hostage-takers were from the Maneeloy
centre while the rest were outsiders. Movements of Burmese students at
the centre and their visitors would be monitored, he said.<br>
Maj-Gen Sanan said students who illegally entered the country would face
a crackdown and deported while asylum seekers would be housed at the
centre, where authorities could keep a close watch.<br>
The interior minister bluntly dismissed the New Aspiration Party's
accusation that the government had paid the gunmen $1 million (40 million
baht) to abort the siege.<br>
The briefcase seen being handed over to the hostage-takers at the embassy
gate contained nothing but a mobile phone, a phone directory, and some
clothes, and was being returned to them after it was earlier seized by
the authorities.<br>
He also denied the &quot;conspiracy theory&quot; that students had
colluded with foreigners in taking control of the embassy.<br>
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