BANGKOK, May 26 — The Royal Thai Armed Forces have set up a patrol unit at sea to assist Rohingya refugees, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.

Armed Forces Chief General Worapong Sa-nganetr told reporters the unit near Similan Islands in Phang-nga province in the south began operations today to provide humanitarian aid to Rohingyas on floating ships in the Andaman Sea.

"The new patrol unit has not been set up to reject Rohingya refugees because Thailand is not their final destination," he said.

Worapong added he is considering the United States' request to use Thai skies to survey Rohingya boats while Malaysia has approved a similar request.

The Royal Thai Navy has deployed the HTMS Angthong and eight other patrol ships from the Third Naval Area Command, two helicopters and two airplanes for the same mission.

Naval officers have provided the Rohingyas with food, drinking water and medical supplies as well as facilitate their travels to Malaysia and Indonesia.

Thai Navy Chief Admiral Kraisorn Chansuvanich said the navy may set up another unit to help refugees on Lipe Island in southern Satun province. — Bernama