The Nation - 33 Thai gamblers arres

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Subject: The Nation - 33 Thai gamblers arrested in Burma

The Nation - Oct 23, 1999.
Headlines
33 Thai gamblers arrested in Burma

A BURMESE armed group yesterday arrested more than 30 Thai gamblers in Koh
Song, opposite Ranong Province, in another blow to Thailand's efforts to
improve its tense relations with Burma, strained after the Oct 1 hostage
crisis.

The arrest came after Rangoon indicated Thailand's decision to crack down on
student exiles opposed to the country's military regime would not be enough
to reopen the border.

The group, believed to be Burmese troops, has detained 33 Thai gamblers who
were playing at a casino in Koh Song. The reason for the arrest is still
unknown.

Don Pramudwinai, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, confirmed the report.

An earlier report said the Burmese captors had been holding about 200 Thai
gamblers and had gradually released them until 33 remained by 9 p m
yesterday.

A source in the area said the group had come by long-tailed boat to the
casino.

Koh Song is a Burmese port opposite the Kraburi District of Ranong Province.

Despite the closure of the Thai-Burmese border, Thais can easily sneak into
the casino in Koh Song as it is only 100 metres from the border.

Tawatch Hantra, Ranong's governor, said he felt that the Burmese were
detaining the Thais to force the casino's owner to increase the entrance
fee.

He said that Thai authorities would nonetheless handle the matter
cautiously. ''We fear that it would be risky to send officials to negotiate
directly with the Burmese authorities in Burma.''

However, Tawatch said that he would try to coordinate with the Burmese. ''I
am positive that all of them will be released soon,'' he said.

The casino is popular with Thai gamblersand is reckoned to have a daily
turnover exceeding Bt10 million. Normally Thai gamblers would be accompanied
by Thai officials for security reasons.

The casino is also supervised by about five Burmese officials every day.

In Rangoon, a Burmese government spokesman said on customary condition of
anonymity that Rangoon welcomed ''any move by Thai authorities in promoting
better security and protection of the diplomatic community''.

''But Burma is still very concerned of the security along its border with
Thailand, since armed terrorist groups have been crossing over into Burma to
threaten and terrorise the local population there,'' the spokesman said.

The Thai government decided on Thursday that the estimated 3,000 Burmese
students in Thailand, most of whom fled a bloody crack-down against street
protests in 1988, must register in one month to be eventually sent to third
countries.

Thailand was irked by the seizure of The Burmese Embassy in the capital on
Oct 1 by five armed student activists, when 38 people were held hostage, and
by the separate detention of UN staff by students at a holding centre this
week in a dispute over monthly stipends.

Meanwhile a source said that the Burmese authorities had reopened their
waters to Thai fishing boats in the southern sector of the west coast in
Ranong province. The source said that the Burmese navy had met Thai fishing
operators and asked for an advance payment in return for concessions to
resume fishing in Burmese waters.

However, the source noted that the Burmese authorities were likely to
implement a stricter policy in allowing Thai fishermen to fish there.

Rangoon closed the long border on Oct 2, incensed that Thailand had allowed
the embassy hostage-takers to go free to avoid bloodshed. The regime, which
viewed the act as terrorism, was also angered when a Thai minister referred
to the five as freedom fighters.

It has indicated that the border will be reopened only when Thailand arrests
the hostage-takers. Thailand has issued arrest warrants but says their
whereabouts are unknown.

The border closure has kept hundreds of Thai fishing boats in port and
severely restricted border trade, though smuggling continues.

Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai meanwhile defended the government's decision to
send the exiled Burmese students to third countries, saying Thais simply
could not accept the disturbances they had created.

''It's better that they go. We have been very kind to them. We would have
sent them back to Burma if we didn't care about their safety,'' Chuan said.

He did not expect all the students to be admitted. ''If say 1,000 of them
can go, it will relieve us of a great burden,'' he said.

The National Security Council said on Thursday that Thailand had been
generous in allowing the students to stay for 11 years and it was time for
other nations to take them in.

The United States, Canada, Australia and several European Union countries
have shown willingness.

Student activists say that some students would be glad to leave and resume
their studies but hope Thailand relents so that those willing to stay behind
can peacefully carry on their struggle.

In a related incident, Aung Su, secretary-general of the Overseas National
Students of Burma has threatened to stage a major protest if their friends
who were involved in Monday's disturbance at the Maneeloy holding centre in
Ratchaburi are arrested.

Aung Su said his group had been held responsible for the incident.

About 50 students locked up officials of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for several hours in protest over
financial allowances.

Aung Su argued that the students had done nothing wrong and instead blamed
the UNCHR officials for failure to pay the students their monthly stipends.

The Nation, Associated Press