About 50 youths, including students, held a candlelight vigil outside the Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur last night to protest the recent tragedy in Southern Thailand.

The group, comprising members of Kelab Rakan Siswa Islah Malaysia, Malaysian Youth and Students Democratic Movement (Dema), Jerit and Food not Bombs, marched about 100m from Ampang Park to the embassy at about 8pm.

Some of the protestors delivered speeches that condemned the Thai government for its 'discriminative' policy towards Muslims in Southern Thailand.

The youths also sang songs and recited poetry as passing motorists honked their support while some 10 police personnel kept watch.

At about 9.15pm, a small commotion erupted when a plainclothes policeman told the group to disperse within 10 minutes.

An argument broke out when the policeman (right), who identified himself only as Adnan from the Cheras district police headquarters, shouted at the youths and demanded their identity cards.

During the heated exchange, some of the protestors began singing the national anthem 'Negara Ku'.

Adnan told reporters later that the group, which dispersed at about 9.30pm, should have applied for a permit to hold the gathering.

Peaceful gathering

Met later, a protestor said the police should have been more tolerant as it was a peaceful gathering.

"We only had songs and poetry, the police should not have dispersed us in such a manner," he added.

Last Friday, about 500 people staged a peaceful demonstration outside the embassy calling for the resignation of Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra over the violence in Southern Thailand.

On Oct 25, about 80 Thai Muslims died from suffocation and convulsion in packed security trucks, after they were arrested following a violent demonstration, where seven were killed by security forces.

Since early this year, more than 414 people have been killed in the Muslim-majority southern provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala.