Bkk Post -Dealing with the junta

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Reply-To: "TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Bangkok post Oct - 21, 1999.
Inside Politics

Dealing with the junta
Rangoon's generals have been bullying their own people for so long that they
now think they can push around anybody. Mr Chuan, thankfully, has other
ideas. u That someone on the public payroll should be punished for ducking
out of the office and up to China for a quick round of golf has upset some
in our uniformed ranks. u The word is Mr Bhichit is having second thoughts
about passing on the mantle.

Anyone hoping for a quick return to those salad days of Thailand and Burma
together again like the best of mates might be a mite disappointed by the
latest mumblings from the junta leadership.

Burmese Ambassador Hla Maung has warned, albeit in a roundabout way, that
things could never be all hunky-dory again until those naughty, wayward
students who felt the need for an overnight stay at the Burmese Embassy were
arrested and prosecuted.

Our Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai took some offence at this rude bullying and
responded. somewhat sarcastically, that it was normal practice here to take
action against those who break the law.

"No one can tell us what to do and what not to do," he added to make sure
his message got across to even the most dim-witted.

A recent government intelligence report from Rangoon makes it quite clear
that the junta will take things slowly as their armed forces chief, Gen
Maung Aye, is in no hurry to get things with Thailand back on an amicable
footing,"The Burmese junta has made it quite clear it is useless for us to
send government representatives to Rangoon to settle the dispute," said one
of our cabinet ministers.

"They hold us directly responsible for the release of the Burmese dissidents
and are very upset that we let them go free to the border.

"It seems they are unhappy that the embassy siege ended peacefully."However,
we have learned that though the generals across the border won't talk to
anyone who is a "civilian", they are quite ready to have a tete-a-tete with
their old buddy, former Thai army commander and now adviser on security
matters to Maj-Gen Sanan Kachornprasart, Gen Chettha Thanajaro, if he should
feel the need for a visit to Rangoon.

Not that this is likely to happen. A close aide to Maj-Gen Sanan, the deputy
prime and interior minister among other things including supervising our
national security and being the man who deals with naughty laddies who
occupy foreign embassies, has no plans to send Gen Chettha to prostrate
himself before the generals.

"What's the use of such a trip when Burma does not want to see a return to
normal relations between our two countries?" asked the aide, who is quite
convinced things will remain sticky for quite a few months yet.