THAILAND/BURMA ...VOA REPORT

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=5/15/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-214276
TITLE=THAILAND / BURMA (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=MATTHEW CHANCE
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  IN ADVANCE OF THE VISIT TO BURMA THIS WEEKEND BY 
THAILAND'S PRIME MINISTER, THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES IN RANGOON 
ARE STRONGLY URGING VISITING THAI OFFICIALS AND JOURNALISTS TO 
STAY AWAY FROM THE PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI.  
MATTHEW CHANCE REPORTS FROM BANGKOK, THE WARNING IS A NEW STEP 
TAKEN BY BURMESE AUTHORITIES AGAINST AUNG SAN SUU KYI. 

TEXT:  THAI FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS SAY THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT
SENT A LETTER THIS WEEK CAUTIONING THAI JOURNALISTS TRAVELLING 
WITH PRIME MINISTER CHAVALIT TO MAKE  NO  ATTEMPT TO CONTACT AUNG
SAN SUU KYI, OR TO DO ANY REPORTING ABOUT THE PRO-DEMOCRACY 
LEADER.  

OFFICIALS SAY THE LETTER EVEN URGES REPORTERS TO KEEP OUT OF 
UNIVERSITY AVENUE IN RANGOON, WHERE AUNG SAN SUU KYI LIVES.

BURMA'S RESTRICTIONS ON FOREIGN JOURNALISTS ARE NORMALLY TIGHT.  
BUT THAI OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN ASKED TO KEEP AWAY 
FROM THE OPPOSITION LEADER -- THE FIRST TIME THE BURMESE 
AUTHORITIES HAVE WARNED STATE VISITORS ABOUT CALLING ON AUNG SAN 
SUU KYI.

THERE HAS BEEN  NO  PUBLIC REACTION FROM THE THAI GOVERNMENT.  
BUT PRIVATELY, OFFICIALS ARE EXPRESSING ANGER AT THE BURMESE 
MOVE, WHICH ANALYSTS SAY COULD STRAIN RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO 
COUNTRIES AT A CRUCIAL TIME.  THAILAND HAS BEEN EAGER TO EXPAND 
ITS BUSINESS INTERESTS IN BURMA.  IT HAS BEEN CLAMPING-DOWN ON 
BURMESE REBEL GROUPS OPERATING FROM BASES ALONG THE BORDER WITH 
THAILAND. THAILAND IS GROWING INTO A MAJOR FOREIGN INVESTOR IN 
BURMA.  FOR ITS PART, BURMA HAS BEEN LOBBYING THAILAND TO SUPPORT
ITS APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH EAST 
ASIAN NATIONS -- OR ASEAN.

THE ORGANIZATION SAYS IT PLANS TO GIVE FULL MEMBERSHIP TO BURMA 
ALONG WITH LAOS AND CAMBODIA.  THE MEMBERSHIP ISSUE IS TO BE 
DISCUSSED AT A SPECIAL ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING IN KUALA 
LUMPUR AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, AND ANALYSTS SAY BURMA'S ENTRY 
INTO THE POWERFUL REGIONAL ECONOMIC BLOC IS LIKELY.

HOWEVER, THERE IS STILL WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION TO BURMA'S 
MEMBERSHIP IN THE REGIONAL GROUP FROM THE UNITED STATES AND FROM 
OTHER COUNTRIES OUT ASEAN, OVER RANGOON'S POOR RECORD ON HUMAN 
RIGHTS.  (SIGNED)

NEB/MC/FC/CF