The United Nations human rights investigator for Burma has again been denied permission to visit the country.

A UN spokesman quoted the military government as saying there was no need for an investigation.

The human rights official, Rajsoomer Lallah, who's a judge from Mauritius, will now go to Thailand to visit sites along the border where displaced members of Burma's minority peoples are living.

Mr Lallah has not been allowed to visit Burma since he was appointed by the UN human rights commission in 1996 to investigate reports of arbitrary killings, rape, torture, mass arrests, forced labour and political repression.