AFP-Myanmar slams Thailand's democr

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Subject: AFP-Myanmar slams Thailand's democratic credentials after hostage crisis

Myanmar slams Thailand's democratic credentials after hostage crisis
BANGKOK, Oct 8 (AFP) - A war of words between Yangon and Bangkok over last
week's embassy hostage drama deepened Friday with Myanmar's official media
slamming Thailand's democratic credentials.
The criticism came as top Thai officials warned conflict between the junta
and democracy forces must be resolved to avoid a repetition of the embassy
siege.

"The act of permitting prostitution is adequate as a manifestation of a free
democratic state in Thailand," said a commentator in the official New Light
of Myanmar.

"But is there any country in the world that does not consider as a violation
of law ... the forcible entry and ransacking of an embassy," it said.

The comment referred to an earlier statement by Thailand's Interior Minister
Sanan Kachornprasart describing the gunmen as democracy fighters and not
terrorists.

Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra told journalists late
Thursday that Sanan had meant to say that the five radical student gunmen
were not "professional international terrorists."

He said Thailand would prosecute the hostage-takers if they were captured on
Thai soil and was boosting security at diplomatic missions in Bangkok.

"However, we must encourage the resolution of the problem at its roots
otherwise symptoms can reoccur," Sukhumbhand said.

"We respect all neighbouring countries' domestic affairs but if there are
problems that arise in a neighbouring country that affect the security and
well being of the Thai people ... then it is our right to be concerned and
to bring these concerns to all parties," he said.

His comments appeared to reflect a growing impatience with a central precept
of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which requires
members to refrain from interfering in each other's internal affairs.

"I did not see ASEAN standing on Sathorn Road, did you?" said Sukhumband,
refering to the roadway in front of Yangon's embassy here sealed off during
the crisis as hundreds of soldiers and police surrounded the compound.

Analysts here said Thailand was in a unique position to hasten Myanmar's
transition toward democracy.

"There is no doubt that change will come, the question is can that change
come about with as little suffering as possible," said Mark Tamthai from
Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

"Change can come about through political activism or the internal
disintegration of the country when change is forced up on it -- that will
come at the cost of great suffering," Tamthai warned.

"Thailand has a special responsibility and great potential to do something
but we need to be more creative in thinking about how to bring about this
change," he said.