Saudi Arabia invites 500 Thai Muslims to perform pilgrimage

The number of Thai Muslims invited to attend the Hajj (pilgrimage) as the guests of the Saudi Arabian government this year has increased to 500, Thai news agency TNA reported.

Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan, who will lead the group to the holy city of Mecca, told TNA that the group of Thai Muslims would leave here between March 8 and 10.

Saudi Arabia's King Fahd had invited a total of 1,500 Muslims people from Asian countries to perform the Hajj this year under his personal patronage, Surin disclosed, saying the other countries included China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia.