The gruesome deaths in south Thailand was on the mind of Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's most famous dissident and best known moderate Muslim reformist leader, as he set foot on Malaysian soil after spending two months abroad seeking medical treatment for spinal injuries made worse during his time in jail.

The former deputy prime minister expressed grave concern over the escalating crisis and condemned Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's claim that 78 Muslim men who suffocated while in military custody died because they were

weakened by fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The 78 were part of a group of 1,300 protesters crammed into trucks by troops

after they broke up a demonstration in Tak Bai in southern Narathiwat province

last Monday.

At least six others were also shot dead at the protest and three others were

found drowned in a river near the protest site, officials said.

''I urge Thaksin to resolve the problems in a just and fair manner without

relying too much on the security forces,'' Anwar told IPS on Sunday, when he

landed in the capital city after being away in Germany for spinal surgery.