Bkk Post - Airmen told to beware Wa

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Subject: Bkk Post - Airmen told to beware Wa missiles

Bangkok Post Sep 11, 1999.
Airmen told to beware Wa missiles
Threat linked to drug suppression

Wassana Nanuam


The army has been extra careful flying its aircraft near the Burma border
following the United Wa State Army's procurement of additional
surface-to-air missiles.

Gen Surayud Chulanont, the army chief, said yesterday the Wa had bought more
SAM-7 missiles and that intelligence was monitoring the movement closely and
working out measures to deal with the situation.

"As we know who possesses the missiles, we need to be more careful flying
our aircraft anywhere near the border because it is dangerous," he said.

The Wa bought the missiles from arms traffickers along the border.

An army source said the SAM-7 missiles are manufactured and used in China.
The Burmese government and the Wa have deployed such missiles along the
border for a long time.

"However, the deployment has intensified and more SAM-7s have been procured
after the army launched more efforts to suppress illicit drugs in border
areas. They bartered narcotics for missiles," the source said.

The movement has prompted the army to cut down on the number of helicopter
flights in the area, he added.

Lt-Gen Sommai Vichavorn, Third Army commander, confirmed yesterday that his
troops would continue anti-narcotics operations in border areas.

"We will train troops in the troubled areas so that our personnel can
experience the real situation and the training session can be expanded into
real operations swiftly," he noted.

Soldiers from all units under the jurisdiction of the Third Army would join
the training programme, be they from infantry, cavalry or artillery units,
he said.