BKK POST: January 31, 1998: BORDER

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BKK POST: January 31, 1998: BORDER CONFLICT

              Soldiers sent to
              protect Thais on
              islet

              Move follows threat from Burmese
              troops

              Supamart Kasem 
              Tak

              Thailand sent an infantry unit to a disputed islet in Mae Sot
              district yesterday morning to protect Thai villagers who cultivate
              their land there.

              The Fourth Infantry Regiment Task Force announced in its
              statement that Burmese soldiers had threatened Thai villagers
              who were about to grow plants on their land so Thai soldiers
              needed to man the islet to protect Thai territory and the lives of
              Thais.

              Narong Huayphat, head of villages in Tambon Mahawan, said he
              and about ten other villagers were preparing their 340 rai of land
              on the islet for cultivation on Wednesday but Burmese soldiers
              called them to their camp opposite the islet and threatened to
              hurt them if they continued cultivation.

              The Local Thai-Burmese Border Committee (TBC) agreed on
              January 22 both sides would not allow armed troops to enter the
              disputed islet until an agreement on border demarcation is
              reached. Only ordinary people are allowed to cultivate their land.

              However, the Thai task force stated yesterday it was wrong for
              Burmese soldiers to threaten Thai villagers and Thai soldiers had
              to man the islet for the safety of the people.

              Meanwhile, Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Chettha Thanajaro
              will ask Burmese forces not to open fire at Thai aircraft which
              unintentionally fly into Burmese airspace.

              Gen Chettha said he will talk about this during his visit to Burma
              in the middle of next month. 

              The army commander-in-chief said Thai authorities had already
              submitted a letter to Burma to protest against the attack, adding
              he would seek information about the incident from the Aviation
              Department.

              According to him, Burmese soldiers might have fired gunshots at
              the Thai aircraft because the plane flew too close to the
              Thai-Burmese border.

              The two-engine plane, identified as Beechcraft, belongs to the
              Aviation Department and was flown by Maj Sayan Pitak and Pol
              Lt-Col Jinda Ngarmpradit to test the safety equipment of the
              Mae Sot airport.

              Mae Sot airport director Supoj Suthicharoen said the plane was
              about 1,700 feet above the ground near Wat Phra Thart Khork
              Chang Phuak in Ban Mae Tao village when it was shot at by
              about four rifles, each firing five to ten rounds.




                                     




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Last Modified: Sat, Jan 31, 1998