The demonstration in Narathiwat had led to the death of at least 85 protestors, all of whom died at the hands of security officials.

Attaphon Yaisawang, spokesman at the Attorney General office, said the evidence against the suspects were weak and that it serve no purpose to detain them further.

DPA news agency quoted Attorney General Pachara Yuthithamdamrong as saying, "The evidence against them is insufficient. To detain them further would serve no purpose," he added, saying the 58 demonstrators would be released by Narathiwat Court on Monday.

 "The 58 Tak Bai suspects have been in prison for the past two years on the most ludicrous charges," said Francesca LaweDavies, an analyst watching the southern situation for the International Crisis Group (ICG). 

The 58 Muslims has been in imprison on charges of illegal gathering and creating a public disturbance in the Narathiwat district of Tak Bai on October 25, 2004. No government authorities have been brought to trial for the subsequent massacre. 

Police and soldiers opened fir on the demonstration, slaying seven people on the spot and killing another 78 who died of suffocation from being stacked one on top another on the back of military trucks.

Despite international outrage over the incident, no military officer has been charged with abuse of human rights at Tak Bai.

"What would be more important (than dropping charges) would be a transparent investigation into the excessive use of force on that day that led to many asphyxiations," LaweDavies told DPA.

The decision to to drop charges against the 58 Tak Bai suspects came one day after Prime Minister Surayud Chulaont made a public apology to the Malay Muslims for the Tak Bai massacre.

I have come here to apologise to you on behlaf ot he previous government and on behalf of this government. What happened in the past was mostly the fault of the state," said Surayud Thursday in response to a question raised by an audience over the past refusal to apologise.