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NEWS - 33 long-neck Karens rescue



CRIME Section of the Bangkok Post

 33  long-neck Karens rescued

                                  Chiang Mai - Some 33 long-neck
                                  Karens, kidnapped so that they
                                  could be displayed to tourists,
                                  have been freed.

                                  Police rescued the hilltribe
                                  villagers, all women and children,
                                  when they raided Thana Farm in
                                  Mae Ai.

                                  Farm owner Thana Narkluang
                                  charged tourists 150 baht per
                                  person to look at the Karens.

                                  The villagers received 10 baht a
                                  day and were not allowed to leave
                                  the farm.

                                  Two of them are thought to have
                                  fallen ill and died at the farm.

                                  They were abducted from Ban Nai
                                  Soi camp in Mae Hong Son over
                                  18 months ago, according to
                                  deputy governor Phayoon
                                  Meethongkham.

                                  Refugee camp officials are
                                  thought to have been involved in
                                  the abductions.

                                  A source said it would not have
                                  been possible to take the Karens
                                  out of the camps unnoticed,
                                  especially in view of police
                                  checkpoints on the route from
                                  Mae Hong Son to Chiang Mai. 



© The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. All rights reserved 1998


Free Burma Note:
Please note above that the Camp authorities may be involved