Thai national security officials are increasingly concerned over Islamic State's growing influence in South East Asia, confirming one Australian recently travelling through Bangkok on his way to Syria.
Thai General Aksara Kerdpol, overseeing peace talks with Muslim separatists in Southern Thailand, said Thai security agencies were monitoring jihadists in the region who travelled through Thailand to the Middle East.
"We keep an eye on their movements because they are sheer, extreme terrorists," Gen Aksara Kerdpol, told the US-funded BenarNews service.
A Thai security official on background told BenarNews that Australia and Malaysia had requested to verify movements of an Australian and five Malaysian nationals.
Thai security agencies confirmed the individuals had travelled through Thailand on their way to Syria "in the past months", without giving fixed dates.
The unnamed Australian IS recruit had flown directly from Australia to Bangkok before catching a connecting flight to Turkey.
The Malaysians, to avoid detection at Kuala Lumpur's International Airport by Malaysian authorities, entered Thailand through Malaysia travelling to Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City before catching flights to the Middle East.
Indonesian and Malaysian government officials says at least 540 Indonesian and 63 Malaysians have joined IS's ranks in the Middle East.
Australian officials say as many as 175 Australians are known to have travelled to Iraq and Syria to fight with IS and other associated groups.
At least 30 Australians are believed to have returned while some 35 have been confirmed killed in the fighting.
Thai National Security Council director-general Anusit Konakorn, told BenarNews that Thailand and Malaysia shared concerns the jihadists were able to travel easily through the region.
"The ease of inbound and outbound travel around Southeast Asian nations opens a convenient door for recruitment of IS prospects from within the region," Anusit said.
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