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N C G U B N e w s D e s k 1 8 M a r c h 2 0 0 1

Tension at the Thai-Burma

Thai-Burma relations sank to a new low since the two sides accused each other of inflicting civilian casualties by lobbing shells into two border towns-Tachilek on the Burmese side and Mae Sai on the Thai side. The shelling followed Burmese troops' overrunning of a Thai border military base manned by Thai soldiers while in the process of attacking a nearby camp that belonged to Yawd Serk's soldiers.

Here are some of points to moot when thinking about Thai-Burma relations

Bang Pang Noon or E-7 Hillock

Burma calls the area where the conflict took place as "E-7 hillock," claims it belongs to Burma, and therefore Burmese troops never intruded into Thailand.

Thailand calls it "Bang Pang Noon," says it is Thai territory, therefore...

What's in a Name

Shan State Army (SSA), a reputable military organization founded to lead the armed struggle for a Shan land, is synonymous with the Shan national movement for self-determination and rights. Hence, the junta says Yawd Serk's group is not the SSA, even if he claims it to be, because the SSA had already entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese generals. The junta adds that Yawd Serk's group is actually the Shan United Revolutionary Army (SURA), a splinter group of the "opium smuggling" Muang Tai Army (MTA) led by the one time notorious drug kingpin Khun Sa. Khun Sa, who these days goes under the name U Htet Aung, "has retired" and is last heard playing golf with the ruling generals in Rangoon.

The 'Drug-Manufacturing City'

Thai leaders, including Prime Minister Thaksin, accuse the United Wa State Army (UWSA) of flooding Thailand with amphetamine type stimulants and that the Burmese junta has done little to stop the UWSA from doing it. They point to the sudden rise and flourishing of a UWSA "village," Mong Yawn, into what the Thais describe as a "drug-manufacturing city," complete with its own dam and hydroelectric generating plant, as well as hotels and a casino within two years. AFP report of 12 March quoted the Thai military as saying that "it was built with profits from the drug trade," including heroin and methamphetamines. AFP said Prime Minister Thaksin has made "an implicit warning that Thailand could ... take its own action against the settlement."

The Burmese generals see the UWSA as a "ceasefire group" that has given up its armed struggle and is working to develop its own region and people. The recent development of the Wa region has frequently and proudly been described by the state-controlled press as the success of the Border Areas Development program initiated by the ruling State Peace and Development Council. A press release by Rangoon on 13 March said, "It is difficult to understand why a town for having a hydro-power dam for making electricity, hospitals, education facilities and modern utility services be equated with drug manufacturing" and adding, "It is disappointing to learn that the Red Wa is being used as a scapegoat and the whole narcotic problem Thailand is encountering today seems to be very conveniently thrown on the UWSA."

Tit for Tat

Thailand closed the border on 11 February banning passage of military supplies, including rice, fuel, and medicine into Burma after Burmese troops lobbed artillery shells on Mae Sai and Thai troops shelled Burmese soldiers who had occupied a Thai base in an area yet to be demarcated.

As a response, Burma on 11 March reaffirmed its ban on imports of Thai-made energy drinks and goods containing the flavor enhancer MSG. "Thai-made monosodium glutamate and various kinds of energy drinks such as Red Bull... are being illegally imported from Thailand into Burma ... and distributed in the country by smugglers...with a view to safeguarding public health, authorities have banned the importing, trading and consuming of above-mentioned illegally imported items," said an official announcement.

The Checkpoints

Thailand reopened the border checkpoint at Mae Sai-Tachilek crossing on 13 March. "But when we opened the border, they closed their gate. When we asked why, they said they have to consult their supervisors," a Thai official said. Burmese officials said they had never shut the border in the first place, but when the Thais reopened its side, "the Burmese end of the bridge that links the frontier towns remained closed," said AP.

In response to the Thai reopening of the border, a news release in Rangoon said on 13 March that Burma believes that "such events and activities on the border concerning both nations should be officially discussed and the consent of both sides should be taken into account before acting on it to avoid the unnecessary misunderstanding and also to show courtesy and respect to the other party's requirements and needs."

In addition, Burma has also closed the border checkpoint at Three Pagoda Pass.

Victims of Border Closure

In Thailand

AP reported that Thai traders numbering in the "hundreds" waited for Burma to open the border checkpoint when Thailand reopened the gate. Among those waiting was Chinda Nanthapao, a 42-year-old Thai woman who owns a shop in Tachilek selling watches, calculators, and transistor radios. "If Myanmar does not opens the border soon, the ones to be affected the most will by Thai people who have invested in Tachilek." She said "80 percent of shops in Tachilek are owned by Thais. During one month of the closure we have lost a lot of money."

In Burma

But, it isn't just the Thais who are suffering. A commentary by Kappiya Kan Kaung in the Myanma Alin daily of 23 February said, "greedy and unscrupulous profiteers in Burma are spreading unfounded rumors to destroy the stability of the currency market, and disrupt the regular trade by raising the dollar and gold prices...they talk as if Myanmar and Thailand are about to go to war" and "cause instability of commodities in the market as well as raise the prices of commodities which never come back down again. The situation becomes problematic for salary earners, odd job workers, and the poor.... Because of the current rumors within the past few days, gold and blackmarket dollar prices had soared and this has led to a rise in prices for convenience food imported from Thailand, rice, oil, meat and fish, and vegetables. People are stocking rice and oil for a month or more."

Accusations

The media of the two sides have continued their war of words over policy differences between the two countries--the Thai Government has called on Burma to "clean its own house" and rein in the members of the United Wa State Army, accusing them of being responsible for the flood of methamphetamine tablets into Thailand. In addition, a column in the Bangkok Post went so far as to suggest Burmese complicity in the recent explosion of a Thai International aircraft scheduled to carry Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to Chiang Mai. Burmese media, on the other hand, have continued to criticize Bangkok for its support of the "Shan United Revolutionary Army" (SURA) and its pursuit of a "buffer" policy. Rangoon continues to insist that the new Thai government must adopt a forward-looking policy toward Burma and that Bangkok should not be blaming anyone else for its own problems with narcotics. There have been a number of other minor incidents reported in the past 2 weeks--a ban on the import of certain Thai goods into Burma, Thai goods being seized, border closures, and a Thai claim that one of its fishing boats has been fired on by the Burmese Navy.

Meanwhile, probably to boost the morale of the soldiers "in the forward areas" following heavy casualties suffered in the clashes with Yawd Serk's units and Thai artillery fire, Burmese media have reported widely on gifts of food and supplies being sent by the people to frontline troops.

Troop Movements

Both Bangkok's English-language dailies have reported troops movements on the northern border area. The Bangkok Post on 5 March reported that "Burma has mobilized about 3,000 troops along its border with northern Thailand, in preparation to strike at Shan rebels. The mobilization has prompted the Thai military to deploy more soldiers to reinforce border areas to prevent intrusion." Bangkok daily The Nation also reported on 7 March that "Fighters of the Shan State Army left Doi Kaw Wan garrison, opposite Ban Phaya Prai, Mae Fah Luang district, in five units. Two were headed for Tachilek town, one for Mong Hsat and the rest for Ban Pang Luang, opposite Mae Sai district. The sources said it was likely the Shan rebels were to launch attacks against Burmese forces guarding those towns. Lt-Col Kong Jue of the Shan army said Burma might retaliate with air raids using chemical bombs as in previous strikes on Karen strongholds. He said Burmese troops had pulled out of a base close to Doi Kaw Wan, prompting speculation of air strikes."

Burma Blamed for Border Tension, Supporting Wa

On 9 March the Thai-language daily Matichon carried a report on a statement issued on 8 March by the office of the Army Secretary which rejected "accusations made by the Burmese military regime that Thailand has been supporting the Shan State Army and implementing a policy of setting up a buffer zone along the Thai-Burmese border." The same report cited a press conference given by Third Army Commander Lt. Gen. Watthanachai Chaimuanwong at which he said: "Burma never cooperates in tackling the problem. They rarely talk about the Red Wa, but keep on accusing Thailand of supporting other ethnic groups, especially the SSA. The truth is that Burma and the Wa have secretly made an agreement for the latter to help wipe out the Shan from areas reserved for the Wa to resettle and use for narcotics trafficking. The Wa built all the roads and provided financial support for the Burmese Government. This is not a secret to anyone. Burma shows little respect for Thailand's territorial sovereignty that is why the conflict between the two countries can never be resolved."

The Burmese generals accuse Thailand of harboring Burmese "exiles and fugitives" opposed to the junta and using them as "buffer forces." A Myanmar Alin commentary of 16 February says, "Members of ASEAN and those who can think in this world know that the sovereignty they are referring to is about a safe haven for the Burmese exiles, including all stripes of insurgents, who are opposing the Burmese government, and who are carefully being nurtured like silkworms as part of the security strategy of Thailand. Isn't it true that the act is like watering a poisonous plant and that it will not be making any positive contribution to Burma?