Bangkok Post(30/4/99)

[mandalay@xxxxxxxxxx]

<center><bold>Malaysia car club warned to stay away</bold> 

</center>Rebel threat along the road to Rangoon 


A Malaysian motor club planning a tour to Burma has been warned of
possible danger from rebel forces along the Myawaddy-Rangoon route.


The warning was issued by the information centre of the anti-Rangoon
Karen National Union to Douglas Choong, director of the Royal Perak Motor
Club in Malaysia.


It followed reports the club planned an overland trip for 30 Malaysian
tourists to Burma from May 10 to May 29.


The 20-day journey, with 15 cars, would start from Ipoh on the Malaysian
west coast and proceed to Rangoon via the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge
in Tak's Mae Sot district.


The convoy is scheduled to pass through Myawaddy, Kawkareik, Pa-an,
Thaton, Kyaitho and Pago.


Tour operators in Mae Sot expressed dissatisfaction with Rangoon's
decision to allow the Malaysian tour firm to make the trip.


Spokesman Abhisit Chonsathorn accused Rangoon of double standards by
allowing foreign tour operators to take tourists to into the country by
car, but denying Thai companies the right..


"Burma always turns down our requests to take tourists in by car, but.
allows foreign firms to make an overland trip.


"The 79-million-baht Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge was paid for with
Thai people's tax money to facilitate the transport of the goods and
people of the two countries.


"It's strange that we Thais cannot drive a car to Burma across the
bridge," he said.


Mr Abhisit said his recent application to take 50 tourists into Burma by
car was rejected.


He would raise the matter with the Association of Tourist Operators in
Thailand, and ask them to call on the government to ban all foreign tour
firms from making overland trips to Burma through Thailand.

-------------------------------------------------------------------