Illegal weapons barter trade firms

[tun@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Illegal weapons barter trade firms blacklisted 


Illegal weapons barter trade firms blacklisted

The Nation
Bangkok
February 11, 1994

The Army has blacklisted Thai businessmen who illegally barter
weapons for cheap labour with the Karen minority group in Burma,
Fourth Army Region Chief of Staff Col Songpol Sukulchart said
yesterday.

"We have to keep the list confidential.  We can't disclose the
names of those on the blacklist to the news media," Songpol said.

The Thai military has denied aiding the Burmese minority insurgents
entrenched near the Thai border.

But Thai officials acknowledged the existence of rackets supplying
weapons, smuggled from the Indochinese border to the Burmese
rebels.

Songpol said some of the businessmen are "enemies of the state" and
are also engaged in "various other" illegal activities in the
border area and the Karen provide the necessary protection.

He warned that if substantive evidence could be produced to prove
that someone is involved in the illegal barter trade, they would be
strictly punished according to the law.

"These people are not only breaking the law, they are also damaging
the good bilateral ties between Thailand and Burma," Songpol said.

As for Burmese working illegally in Ranong Province, he said the
number had declined doe to increasing employment opportunities in
Burma following the rise in foreign investment there.

However, continued Rangoon crackdowns on ethnic minority groups at
the border still caused occasional influxes of Burmese refugees
into Thailand.

"The Army is keeping a close watch on the border situations.  We
will never allow the minority people to campaign against the
Burmese army on the Thai soil." Songpol said.

Songpol said the Fourth Army is currently cooperating with Ranong
province authorities to make a list of Burmese workers there, most
of whom are involved in the fishing industry.  He believed that
such a list would be useful in preventing crime.