MORE than 200 Cambodian tourists were denied entry into Thailand while on a Christmas Day cruise despite having valid entry visas, a passenger said.

"We all had visas stamped on our passports but the Thai [border] police still denied us entry", a passenger who only identified herself as Chenda told the Post on Tuesday.

"They demanded we deposit $1,500 to enter Bangkok and keep it there for two months," she said. "But a group of Vietnamese made up of 25 people was allowed into Bangkok and only Cambodians were denied."

"We disagree with the behaviour of the Thai police and we will try to find out why they did this," said Semon Samay, a lawyer for Jupiter Cruises ,the travel company involved, .

Kaw Sook, counsellor at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, said he was unaware of the incident but said the embassy was investigating. He said he was disappointed to hear that money was demanded, but that he assumed the travel company had not provided the necessary documentation.