Bangkok Post (17/7/99)

[mandalay@xxxxxxxxxx]

Bid to repatriate 90,000

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will be asked to help
arrange the repatriation of some 90,000 Burmese refugees sheltered in
Thailand.

Kachadpai Burussapattana, secretary-general of the National Security
Council, said the issue will be raised for discussion at the UNHCR general
assembly in Geneva in October.

Thailand wants the UNHCR to co-ordinate the return of 60,000 Karen war
refugees in Tak, 20,000 Shan refugees in Mae Hong Son and more than 10,000
Mon refugees in Suan Phung district of Ratchaburi.

Mr Kachadpai said the situation in Burma had returned to normal.

Also, it had been reported Rangoon was ready to welcome back the refugees.

Meanwhile, the Shan State Army is reportedly planning to mobilise funds
from all Shan movement groups to mount a political campaign in Burma.

Leaders of the Shan army are unhappy with Shan youth groups based in
Thailand and other countries.

They say the youth groups have ignored political work in Burma. 
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Junta admits it can't halt flow of drugs

Prime Minister Than Shwe of Burma has admitted his government is unable to
control border areas held by ethnic minorities and stop drug smuggling,
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said.

Mr Chuan said they had discussed the problem of drugs and border disputes
during recent talks in Chiang Rai.

"Prime Minister Than Shwe accepted that (his government) could not control
areas under the influence of minority groups.

"He admitted this and asked me half-seriously, half-jokingly if I was free
to fly with him to inspect the areas to prove what he said.

"I told him, frankly, that we must co-operate to suppress drug trafficking.

"Burma accepts this, but it will be some time before the process can
begin," the prime minister said.

Mr Chuan said last week's seizure of nearly two million amphetamine pills
showed that Thailand's drug suppression efforts were better.

"I clearly told Burma that we must collaborate as we know that only a small
amount of drugs are produced in Thailand. This means the drugs are coming
in from border areas, especially Burma," he said.

Mr Chuan was speaking on Radio Thailand. 
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