World Bulletin / News Desk

Thailand on Friday has closed its embassy and consulate in Turkey in response to a wave of protestss against its decision to deport  Uyghur Muslims to China as the US warned the minority could face "harsh treatment" on their return.

The temporary closure of Thailand's embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul came into effect as hundres of demonstrators protested outside the consulate in Istanbul damaging furnishings and pulling down the sign outside.

It was the latest protest in Turkey over the treatment of the Turkic-speaking, largely Muslim minority in China's northwestern Xinjiang region where Uighurs say they face cultural and religious repression.

A report by AFP showed that thousands of Uyghurs have fled their homeland in recent years, sometimes travelling through Southeast Asia in hope of resettling in Turkey.

The fate of some 400 Uighurs in Thailand had been in doubt since they were detained for illegal entry in March 2014, while authorities verified their nationalities amid a tussle between Turkey and China over where they should be moved.