Bkk Post - Closure of San Ton Du be

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Subject: Bkk Post - Closure of San Ton Du begins to bite

Bangkok Post - Sep 17, 1999.
Closure of San Ton Du begins to bite
Food prices surge in Wa stronghold

Subin Khuenkaew

Traders are turning to the Kok river to get around the closure of the San
Ton Du crossing and resume trade with the United Wa State Army.

Demand for food has surged in Mong Yawn, headquarters of the southern
command of the UWSA, the biggest drug trafficking group in the Golden
Triangle, since last month's closure.

The UWSA has stocked construction materials and fuel for its ambitious
infrastructure projects at Mong Yawn, 30km from San Ton Du, but perishables
have become harder to find.

Prices have doubled and even tripled over the past month. Three eggs, for
example, cost 12 baht and a packet of instant noodles, eight baht.On the
Thai side, an egg costs 1-4 baht and instant noodles, 3-5 baht.

Border sources have noticed increased traffic on the Kok river, which flows
across the border and has many tributaries that reach UWSA territory.

Long-tail boats leave almost daily from Tha Ton, Mae Ai district, and head
against the current to the border where they are inspected by government
forces manning riverside outposts.

The checks ensure the boats are carrying consumer goods, not strategic
goods, such as construction materials, fuel, weapons and chemicals that
could be used for Wa drug operations.

Once across the border, the loads are transferred to Wa boats which head
further up the Kok and into the Yawn tributary to their destination.

The sources said it was too early to assess the quantity of goods being
diverted via the Kok but the volume was small scale and mainly in food. A
Burmese businessman who exported goods worth millions of baht through San
Ton Du said the closure was creating difficulties. Cement shipments exported
via Kiew Pha Wok in Chiang Dao district, 40km from San Ton Du, were taking
more than a month to reach Mong Yawn by land.

While a road network linking border towns in eastern Shan State is almost
complete, red tape, corruption among Burmese officials and insurgent
activity were proving major obstacles, he said.

The Mae Sai-Tachilek crossing is open but is 130km from San Ton Du.

The government is resisting pressure to open San Ton Du and the San Maked
crossing in Mae Fah Luang district, which provides access to a town being
developed by Wei Hsueh-kang, a commander of the UWSA, who is wanted by Thai
and US authorities on drug-trafficking charges.

The town, known officially as Ban Hong, is 3km from the border and has a
road link to Mong Yawn.

One billion baht, much of it drug profits, has gone into development at Mong
Yawn, which has attracted Thai businessmen and workers.

Goods worth more than 70 million baht worth have been traded via San Ton Du
since it was opened a year ago by the National Security Council, and 6,000
Thais have found jobs in Mong Yawn.

The southern command stretches from Mongsat to Mong Yawn, and areas under Wa
influence or control stretch from opposite Tha Ton to Mae Sai, Chiang Rai.