21 May
2001
Thai-Burma Relations Take A Dive
Acrimonious charges and countercharges between Burma and Thailand have
caused bilateral relations to sink to a new low. Military conflicts
involving the Burmese and Thai Armies and ethnic nationalities from
Burma are taking place at the border and unyielding positions assumed
by both the countries and even a talk of war have aggravated the situation.
The contentious point between the two countries has been the flow of
millions of methamphetamine tablets into Thailand. With the number of
addicts growing, even among school children, Thailand wants Burma to
help curb the drug flow by cracking down on the United Wa State Army
(UWSA), which Thailand believes is behind the drug production and distribution.
But, the generals are not complying with the Thai request because they
do not want to jeopardize the cease-fire agreement they have concluded
with the UWSA, an ethnic armed force that was a former ally of the Burma
Communist Party and which could create a multitude of problems for the
Burma Army. The generals therefore reject Thai accusations that UWSA,
"a peace group working for regional and national development,"
is responsible for the drug flow. The generals also refute charges that
Burma is the center of drug production. Home Minister Col Tin Hlaing
was quoted as saying recently, "acetic anhydride, the major precursor
chemical necessary for the production of heroin and ephedrine for the
production of amphetamine-like stimulants are trafficked into Burma
from India, China and Thailand" and not native to Burma.
Thailand is also uncomfortable with the rapid development of the Wa
"drug city," Mong Yawn, near Thailand's Chiang Rai Province
and accuses it of being developed with "income derived from drugs."
It accuses the junta .of complicity and not doing enough to stop the
drugs flow. The Wa leaders had moved some 50,000 people from Panghsang
at China border southward to Mong Yawn. Thai security circles allege
Rangoon wants to use Wa as a buffer against Thailand before trying to
dislodge the Shan freedom fighters, while turning a blind eye on its
drug activities.
The Nation on 4 May quoted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as saying
he would "continue to pursue an aggressive campaign to stop the
flow of illegal narcotics from Burma...such efforts should be carried
out more in tandem with diplomatic efforts to resolve the tensions"
and "the government is trying to get the military and the Foreign
Ministry to work toward the same direction." Again on a Radio Thailand
program on 5 May, Prime Minister Thaksin said he "placed emphasis
on the suppression of narcotics produced in the areas along the common
border by the ethnic groups--not the Burmese Government" and that
as suppression operations are intensified, "border skirmishes are
likely to occur."
Rangoon apparently did not agree to the Thai Prime Minister's proposed
"suppression of narcotics produced in the areas along the common
border by the ethnic groups." A statement released by the Burmese
junta on 17 May said Burmese forces "would fight side-by-side with
the ethnic Wa army accused by Thailand and the United States of involvement
in the international drugs trade," and that "government forces
would use their fire-power to defend Wa territory along the border,"
reported AFP.
The Consequences
With Burma refusing to tackle the Wa, Thailand has stepped up border
patrols, tightened security along the border, and sought the help of
other ethnic nationalities of Burma to monitor the porous border. This
change in Thai position, which only a few years back was driving all
ethnic forces along the border to enter into ceasefire arrangement with
the junta, has increased tension at the border and resulted in more
frequent armed conflicts.
Battle for Par Khee Outpost
Burma Army's Par Khee Outpost, located about 50 yards away from a Thai
military base, was attacked by a Shan State Army force under Yawd Serk
(Burma alleges Thai soldiers took part in the attack) on 22 April. The
camp was overrun and six Burmese soldiers were killed in the night raid.
According to SSA information officer Sai Tun the attack was "to
avenge the massacre of 17 Shan nationals" and to show that the
junta was "involved in narcotic drugs trafficking." According
to Thai dailies, SSA reportedly seized about 150,000 amphetamine pills
from Par Khee outpost. The SSA retreated from the hill outpost on 3
May "after accomplishing two objectives." In the ensuing battles
before the retreat, the Burmese Army "lost 160 men while another
97 were wounded. But, the battles carried on for another two days--1
and 2 May. We heard that the SPDC lost over 50 soldiers. So far we do
not know how many were wounded," said Sai Tun.
Rangoon Radio monitored in Mae Sot announced that at dawn on 3 May the
Par Khee outpost which is "providing border security and defense
and monitoring narcotic control and eradication" was recaptured
by the Burma Army. The radio said, "the insurgents retreated to
Thailand."
Battle for Hua Lon Hill
UWSA troops took over Hua Lon Hill camp "400m inside Thailand"
in Fang District, Chiang Mai Province. According to Bangkok Post, Third
Thai Army Chief Lt Gen Watthanachai said the incursion and takeover
was "to protect two large drug plants and trafficking routes."
Thai Army chief Surayud Chulanond, according to Bangkok Post of 8 May
ordered "drastic measures" against the UWSA and Radio Thailand
of the same day reported that Thai troops had fired artillery shells
and grenades preparatory to retaking the hill. On 11 May The Nation
reported that Hua Lon Hill had been recaptured "from ethnic Wa
fighters" the previous day "following a four-day battle in
which a dozen Wa fighters were killed." The Nation on 11 May said
during the operation to recapture Hua Lon Hill "at least two F-16
jet fighters flew over the hill, 400 meters inside Thailand," and
"buzzed another hot spot in Tak Province, in what is believed to
have been a show of strength."
On 14 May, Bangkok Post Thai Supreme Commander Samphao Chusi claims
that "Burma gave Thailand the green light to attack Red Wa troops
who had captured Hua Lon hill" and that "there was no conflict
between the Thai and Burmese military over the border incident."
In fact, Gen Samphao continued, "Rangoon approved Thailand's retaliation
against the rebels, but advised that care be taken to ensure no stray
shells landed in Burmese territory."
KNU fights Burma Army, Thai Troops engage DKBA
AFP on 7 May reported that more than 100 KNU guerilla fighters besieged
two Burmese Army bases about three km from the border in Thailand's
Tha Song Yang district using grenade launchers and mortars. Five Burmese
soldiers were killed and one injured while four KNU soldiers were seriously
injured in the fighting, a KNU source said.
On 10 May, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army on Burma side engaged
in a battle with Thai security forces when the DKBA fighters tried to
cross the river into Thai territory north of Ban Muen Ruechai. "Thai
security troops opened fire with mortars, rocket-propelled grenade launchers
and assault rifles, forcing the intruders to retreat after about 15
minutes of fighting," said AFP. There were no reports of casualties.
Burma Demands Pullout, Thais see it as 'invitation
to continue fighting'
Burma has for the past several months been contending that Thailand
has encroached on its territory by setting up border outposts in the
yet to be defined border areas. It has openly issued a challenge to
Thailand now. Burma has officially stated that Thailand must withdraw
from 35 military outposts maintained along the northern border. Thailand
however is not ready to oblige. The Nation said on 15 May that "Thai
security and army officials were quick to suggest Burma's demand was
an invitation to continue fighting along the border," and noted
that senior Thai military officials had dismissed the allegations that
Thailand was intruding on Burmese territory. Army Chief General Surayud
Chulanond said "the protest was nothing new, the issue had been
discussed several times at the Township Border Committee and the Regional
Border Committee, but not much progress had been made." In an interview
published in Krungthep Thurakit on 15 May, Third Army Region Commander
Lt. Gen. Watthanachai Chaimuanwong echoed this view: "The protest
over the 35 locations belonging to Burma is not new. The local level
units of the two countries could not agree on who those locations belonged
to.. They have accused us of violating their territory. The problem
will be solved if there is a joint border demarcation committee or technical
committee for both sides to work on the issue...If the Burmese insisted
on the current attitude, there will be year-round disputes over hill
on which there are nothing but rocks and trees and over bare hilltops."
'External' Players
The China factor
Since the time of Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai's Government Thailand
had been seeking China's support over the drug problem. Thailand first
raised the drug issue, and sought China's assistance, during Vice Chinese
President Hu Jintao's official visit to Thailand in July last year.
The request had been to get Burma to join the anti-drug efforts and
Deputy Foreign Minister MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra discussed a regional
structure to fight the narcotics problem with Chinese officials during
a five-day visit to China in September last year. Chinese Premier Zhu
Rongji arrived in Thailand on 19 May and, according to Kyodo, the Thai
government hopes it will lead to more cooperation in anti-narcotics
and economic efforts. The Nation commenting on the visit said "Zhu-Thaksin
summit will wrestle with the question of the Beijing-backed Wa who produce
drugs that China is supposed to cooperate with Thailand in suppressing."
It said, "Less has been said about how much China's political and
economic weight is vital to the existence of the Wa...China has failed
to explain whether the Wa relocation to Mong Yawn was done with Bejing's
collusion so that the guerrillas' drug production bases were moved away
from the Chinese border."
The U.S. Factor
Bangkok Post on 17 May said, the United States has expressed support
for Thailand's defense position in its standoff with Burma. The paper
quoted Adm Dennis Blair, chief of the US Pacific Command, as saying,
"As a military man, I support Thailand...The support that we have
for Thailand in patrolling its border is an important part of our policy."
The admiral was in Bangkok to open the 20th Cobra Gold military exercises
joined by Thai, US and Singaporean forces, and to discuss anti-drugs
co-operation with Thai authorities. The presence of a US Special Forces
unit in the North was for training the army's Task Force 399 to fight
drugs, he said. The task force is made up of elements of the Third Army
and the Border Patrol Police. The US was also supplying two Black Hawk
helicopters to the army as part of its modernization program.
An article in Myanmar Alin by Pho Khwa on 15 May accused that "the
Thai Army is intentionally picking a fight with Myanmar. It is quite
evident that many attempts are being made to provoke Myanmar and make
it explode with anger." The Burmese press has been concerned that
the deliberate provocations are "a plot" hatched by the "imperialist
bloc" to attack Burma.
Burmese Military on High Alert
A Recent Democratic Voice of Burma reports say, "the generals are
greatly concerned about the Thai-US joint military exercise and has
ordered all tactical command headquarters and tactical command units
along the Thai-Burma border to be on heightened military awareness and
to keep one anti-aircraft battery and an auxiliary battery on readiness.
The anti-aircraft batteries will include 0.5 and 0.12 machine guns while
fighter planes from military airbases in the region are also ordered
to be prepared. On one hand the military is put on high alert while
on the other hand anti-Thai and anti-US instigations have been carried
out through the publications and the media." A DVB report also
said, "more artillery, rockets and grenade launchers have been
sent to reinforce military units in southern Kawthaung District, which
borders Thailand. In addition "all army, navy, and air force border
security units are on 24-hour high alert while various communication
links are also being tested for readiness."
Burma's Kyemon daily on 29 April carried an article by "Htilar
Sitthu" calling on Defense Services personnel to "wage the
just war against invading enemies in the battlefield and crushing them.
Victory lies only in your hands. Wage a hundred wars and win a hundred
victories."
Rangoon Radio recently reported that Commander in Chief of Defense Forces
Gen Maung Aye told a class of graduating Army officers on 11 May that
"the Yawd Serk-led drug trafficking bandits, who are unable to
get a foothold in the country, are being manipulated by the neighboring
country which tried to create a problem and cunningly blame Burma for
its narcotic drugs and other problems...The neighboring country in an
undignified way supported Yawd Serk and provided him with much needed
manpower and weaponry. I would like to inform you that remnant KNU members
and opposition groups were accepted and given sanctuary in a similar
manner."
Anti-Thai campaign
The Democratic Voice of Burma said on 17 May that the junta's Office
of Strategic Studies (OSS) has directed all publishers to include anti-Thai
articles in their publications and to use the term "Yodaya"
when referring to Thais (Burmese people refer to Thais as Yodaya, or
people of the ancient Thai capital of "Ayutthaya," which the
Burmese destroyed in a military conquest. Since the term is not normally
derogatory, the OSS order may have something to do with astrological
beliefs that the generals are fixated on). DVB said, "A Rangoon
publisher confirmed to DVB that all articles using the word Thai have
been either censored or held in abeyance. Furthermore, DVB has learned
that the military government has labeled those who use Thai products
and commodities as national traitors and is also erecting anti-Thai
products billboards nationwide."
The Lighter Side
Thai businesses seem to be taking advantage of the developments at the
Burma border to promote their products. Advertisements appearing on
Thai television show a small group of Thai soldiers surrounded by a
large number of Burmese troops take "M150" stimulant beverages
and forced the enemy to flee, or a Thai woman is shown making a quick
getaway from chasing Burmese soldiers by a Honda "Dream" motorcycle.
Diplomatic Efforts
PM Thaksin's Visit
Prime Minister Thaksin has been declaring his intention to visit Burma
even before he took office. But his visit has frequently been postponed
because of developments at the border. Another date has now been set
and The Nation reported on 5 May that Prime Minister Thaksin planned
to visit Burma "early next month" and on 14 May the Bangkok
Post reported that the prime minister would sign a memorandum of understanding
on drug suppression "when he visits Rangoon later this month."
But on 15 May, the Bangkok Post reported that Thaksin had postponed
his visit "until after the Burmese foreign minister visits Thailand...some
time in June" but the following day the same paper cited Thaksin
himself as saying "there is no postponement since I haven't yet
made a schedule for the trip."
Ministers in Rangoon
Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, who made a two-day visit
to Burma, said Thai-Burma relations are "still solid" and
"the neighbors would resume their joint-commission meetings that
have been put off for the past two years." According to The Nation
he termed his talks in Rangoon as "frank and positive" These
sentiments were shared by Minister at the Prime Minister's Office Thamarak
Itsarangkun. On his return from Rangoon where he held talks with Lt-Gen
Khin Nyunt, Thamarak was quoted by The Nation as saying that "Thailand
and Burma have vowed to stop making public accusations against one another,
and promised closer cooperation on drug eradication" as both sides
"realized they needed to end the recent spate of finger pointing."
Defense Minister vs Thai Army
Bangkok Post on 3 May said, "conflict within Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra's administration over its approach to Burma" had again
surfaced with Defense Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh asking the prime
minister to rein in "outspoken" Third Army Commander Watthanachai
Chaimuanwong. The paper also claimed that "in a move directed at
Watthanachai, Chavalit has instructed a panel to investigate how anti-drug
Task Force 399 came into being without his knowledge. The task force
is part of joint Thai-US efforts, in which US personnel will help train
Thai soldiers in anti-drug operations." But, In an interview with
The Nation on 3 May, Watthanachai did not address the question of his
relations with the defense minister, concentrating instead on recent
actions against Rangoon-backed groups moving amphetamine pills across
the border into Thailand. The same day, Defense Minister Chavalit was
quoted by Radio Thailand as saying that "the Third Army Region
commander is a good man and is a real professional soldier" but
that Thailand "should exercise patience in solving problems as
anyone can resort to violence." On 10 May the Bangkok Post reported
that frontline troops were "confused and frustrated" by comments
attributed to Chavalit that "repeated incursions by Burmese and
Red Wa soldiers on Thai soil were a very small matter and should not
be taken seriously."
Thai Talk
The Thai press has been critical of what it sees as the Thaksin government's
lack of a clear policy toward Burma, exemplified by remarks attributed
to Defense Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh which were viewed as unnecessarily
conciliatory toward Rangoon.
The Thai-language daily Phuchatkan on 4 May examined the possibility
of war with Burma. After asking "why have the conflict and tension
between the two countries reached the current levels" columnist
Siri-anya goes on to suggest that "armed elements" supported
by the two sides are the root cause of the problem. Another Thai-language
paper Krungthep Thurakit, carried a "special report" by Vina
Chanruang on 4 May laying out the differing perspectives on Burma held
by the military and political sides. The report concluded that "all
the unsettled problems with Burma remain" and that "domestic
politics and power struggle have eroded unity needed in negotiations
with Burma right from the beginning of the government's term. At the
heart of this dilemma for Thailand is "the difference of views
between the Army and the government and their different interests."
Key Thai Leaders shaping Burma policy (in
brief)
- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra: Declared war against narcotics
following a Thai Army briefing at an anti-narcotics workshop in Chiang
Rai. The prime minister believes in promoting good diplomatic relations
with Rangoon while the Thai Army conducts drug suppression efforts against
ethnic nationalities from Burma,
- Defense Minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh: He adopts a conciliatory
posture regarding border disputes with Burma (and is criticized by the
Thai Army, Thai press, and the public in general), and is known for
personally profiting from past business deals with the Burmese generals,
Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai: An advocate of "constructive
engagement" and critical of the Burma policy pursued by former
Chuan Leekpai government. He came back optimistic after a recent official
visit to Burma in spite of the Burmese protest about the border clashes
and despite the Burmese propaganda while he was in Rangoon. The Burmese
regime showed Mong Yawn to foreign journalists but, according to a Reuter
report of 13 May, the minister and Thai journalists were not invited.
- Third Army Region Commander Lt Gen Watthanachai Chaimuanwong: He is
in charge of the Third Thai Army, overseeing the northern border with
Burma, takes an aggressive stance in defense of Thai integrity against
incursions by Burmese and ethnic soldiers from Burma. Lt Gen Watthanachai
is reported by the Thai press as being close to former prime minister
and influential Privy Councilor Gen Prem Tinsulanonda and is also a
classmate of Supreme Commander Gen Sampao Chusri and Army Commander-in-Chief
Gen Surayud Chulanond. These connections have so far protected Lt Gen
Watthanachai from the wrath of Defense Minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.
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