The minister asked the embassy to inform the Department of Religious Affairs immediately when it is able to process more visas. One thousand visas per day can be processed, according to embassy sources. Nipit said he is worried as the number of Thai pilgrims may total 13,000. The ministry will ask for cooperation from the embassy to grant more visas than the limited number of 1,000 daily. Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya on Tuesday ruled out rumors about the possible closure of Saudi Embassy in Bangkok and a halt to visa services for Thai pilgrims.

Kasit told Thai News Agency he had spoken to the Saudi Charge d’Affaires in Thailand Nabil Hussein Ashri who denied rumors about possible closure of the Saudi Embassy and halt to the issuance of visas following the recent promotion of Lt. Gen. Somkid Boonthanom, a regional police commissioner, to the post of assistant national police chief.Riyadh downgraded diplomatic relations, withdrawing its ambassador, after the murder of four members of its diplomatic staff in Bangkok in 1989 and 1990, and the 1990 disappearance of businessman Mohammad Al-Ruwaili.

No one was brought to justice in any of the cases.

Meanwhile, organizers of Haj for Thai Muslims have asked the government to settle its problem with Saudi Arabia over the appointment of Boonthanom.

Isma-ae Sama, secretary-general of the Haj Organizers Association, said on Monday the association was concerned the dispute would prevent Thais from performing Haj this year.