NEWS - Junta Bribes Thai Governmnet

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Subject: NEWS - Junta Bribes Thai Governmnet for Lifiting of Restrictions

Junta Bribes Thai Governmnet for Lifiting of Restrictions
Rangoon Post - 14 October, 1999

 Quoting U Hla Maung, "The sooner the five are arrested,the sooner the
border and fishing problems will be resolved."  Simply, since the Thai
economy and small businesses are effected by this closing of the borders
and cancellation of licenses, the requirement of the arrests of the
hostage takers is economic bribery.  In essense, holding Thailand as an
economic hostage.

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THE NATION - October 14, 1999

Junta seeks arrest of hostage-takers

BURMA yesterday demanded that Thai authorities arrest the five armed
Burmese
dissidents who were set free at the border after storming the Burmese
Embassy in Bangkok earlier this month.

U Hla Maung, the Burmese ambassador to Thailand, indicated that this
would
be a condition for resolving current problems over border crossings and
fishing rights.

''We want Thailand to arrest the five who stormed the Burmese Embassy
and to
put them on trial here,'' the ambassador said through an interpreter.
''There is no need to send them to Burma. The sooner the five are
arrested,
the sooner the border and fishing problems will be resolved.

''What we are concerned about most at the moment is the five armed
Burmese
who took over the embassy. Their intention was to get me. They not only
stormed the embassy, but also committed robbery.''

The ambassador was speaking after an hour-long meeting with Foreign
Minister
Surin Pitsuwan.

Bilateral relations between Burma and Thailand have soured following the
siege of the embassy on Oct 1. Burma has sealed all border checkpoints
and
cancelled fishing licences for Thai vessels.

Surin reiterated Thailand's seriousness in tackling Burmese concerns by
pointing out that 10 charges had been filed against the five assailants
who
are believed to have returned to an area of Burma facing Ratchaburi
province
after being released at the border.

U Hla Maung also urged Burmese students living in Thailand and other
displaced citizens to return in order to join in the country's
development.

He guaranteed that the students would not face any legal charges or
prosecution if they returned.

Foreign Ministry's spokesman Don Pramudwinai said that Surin had also
invited Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Maung Win for a visit to
clear
up any problems arising from the embassy incident.

Don emphasised that filing charges against the five was a clear sign of
Thailand's intention of bringing them to justice.

''The charges show that we will not let the wrongdoers go unpunished,''
he
said. ''At present, it is up to the police and other authorities
concerned
to look for the five Burmese.''

Don played down the closing of border checkpoints, saying this was
Burma's
way of expressing dissatisfaction.

''They usually seal the border with Thailand [when bilateral problems
arise],'' he said.

Commenting on a call by opposition parties for the government to be more
aggressive over problems with Burma, Don said the closing of checkpoints
and
cancellation of fishing licences did not constitute a threat to Thai
security.

Samak Suntharavej, leader of Prachakorn Thai Party, said Thailand should
stand firm, adding: ''We're not going to die if we don't befriend
Burma.''

During his meeting with Surin, U Hla Maung dismissed a news report that
Burmese border troops had been reinforced in order to attack Karen
refugees
when the dry season set in.

Don quoted the ambassador as saying the troop movements were just normal
rotation of soldiers in the border region.

In a separate interview, Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Oum Maolanond
said that Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra had sent a
letter to
his Burmese counterpart, Khin Maung Win, stating Thailand's position
that it
would not forgive any acts of terrorism against foreign representatives
on
its soil.

Sukhumbhand said Thailand had contingency plans for tackling terrorist
incidents.

Gen Bo Mya, leader of the Karen National Union, the biggest group of
armed
dissidents operating on the Thai-Burmese border, yesterday pledged to
help
Thailand arrest the five assailants if they were found on his territory.

Distancing his group from the five, Bo Mya said the assailants had been
released a long way from the areas where the Karen National Union
operated.

He said Rangoon's accusation that the Karen National Union was involved
with
the five was part of a smear campaign aimed at destroying his group.

Former Thai army chief Gen Chetta Tanajaro, who has close links with
Rangoon
and advises the government on Burmese affairs, expected an invitation to
visit Rangoon within a few days to discuss bilateral problems.

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Korn Dabarasi said
Burmese
leaders had reaffirmed that they wanted to maintain cooperation with
Thailand. The ties would not be affected by the current tension on the
border, he added.

Korn was speaking after returning from Rangoon where he attended a
regional
conference on public health. He also met Lt Gen Khint Yunt, first
secretary
of the ruling State Peace and Development Commission.

''Khint Yunt reiterated to me twice that both countries must be patient
as
they were still cooperating in many areas, not only public health,'' he
said.