BANGKOK, July 11 (Xinhuanet) -- The United Nations has asked Thailand to send troops to help restore peace in Haiti, local newspaper said here on Friday.

    The request, which demanded a contingent of 700-1,000 military police and engineers from Thailand, was made through the Ministry of Foreign Affair, the newspaper Nation quoted a military source as saying.

    The United Nations has prepared to shoulder all the expense including allowance for the troops during their stay in the Caribbean country.

    The Supreme Command has to consider the request, the source said. If Thai troops were sent to Haiti as requested, they would be working within the UN framework.

    A great number of Thai military engineers are now working for development programs in the world.

    And Thai troops stationed in Iraq would not be withdrawn until their term is fulfilled at the end of September, the Thai Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

    Earlier, the government has turned down the UN's request for Thailand to send troops to Liberia, but agreed to dispatch six officers to the South African country as observers.

    A new contingent of 165 members of the Chilean Marine Infantry joined the UN mission on May 30 to help insure Haiti's stability as part of the multinational peace force formed by 6,700 troops from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Enditem