WNC Burma: [Bangkok Phuchatkan] Th

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Thailand: Burmese Spy Activities in Thailand Viewed 

3 Mar 1998
Bangkok Phuchatkan in Thai
Language: Thai
Subslug: "Insight" Column by Ekkarat Banleng:
"Burma-007 Spies on Thai Soil"

During a National Security Council meeting in Chiang Rai Province last
year, Third Army Region Commander Lt. Gen. Thanom Watcharaphut said: "The
issue of our current interests is the increasing significance attached to
the intelligence operation in Asia by the Burmese military regime. Twenty
to 30 percent of the budget for the Burmese military development has been
used by the MIS or the Military Intelligence Service."
A Thai military intelligence unit operating in the northern region has
reaffirmed that Burma's intelligence network, the fourth most efficient in
the world, has been applying techniques used by secret services of many
countries, including Israel's Mossad, MI-6 of the United Kingdom, CIA, FBI,
and KGB.
The defeat of "Khun Sa's" empire was a good example witnessed by Thai
people that showed the efficiency of the MIS.  The MIS spent entire four
years to gather necessary information on military movements and weaknesses
of the Mong Tai Army in Shan State before Khun Sa was eventually pressured
to surrender to the Burmese Government.
The latest achievement of the Burmese secret service was the downfall
of Gen. Bo Mya's  KNU [Karen National Union] army that resulted from
ongoing armed confrontations between Buddhist and Christian Karen troops in
areas bordering Thailand's Tak and Mae Hong Son Provinces.
The MIS has been used by the Burmese Government as an intelligence
tool to settle problems with minority groups along the border with
Thailand.
We can say that, up to now, the MIS has been successful to a certain
extent because all anti-government ethnic groups are now exhausted.
An anti-Burmese Government source revealed that the MIS has 27
battalions with its headquarters in Rangoon.  Each battalion has its own
number, and a number between one and 28--except 13--is used for the
battalion number.  Number 13 is left out because it is considered unlucky.
Each MIS battalion is staffed with only 50 to 60 personnel whose ranks
are not lower than corporal.
The source said that the recruitment of MIS battalion members is very
complicated.  Candidates must possess a wide range of qualifications and
pass security clearance and numerous tests. New recruits are required to
undergo a training course for three to four months before being sent out to
work.
Each state and division in Burma supposed to have two MIS units, but
Shan State is an exceptional case because there are five MIS units.
For examples, Battalions No. 1 and 16 are stationed in Mandalay,
Battalions No. 2 and 3 in Taunggyi, Battalion No. 3 in Toungoo, Battalion
No. 4 in Bassein, Battalion No. 5 in Moulmein, and Battalions No. 6, 7, and
8 in Rangoon, and so on.
Moreover, the source disclosed that the MIS has also sent its
personnel to work in Thailand by disguising them as beggars. Prior to a
cabinet meeting held in Chiang Rai Province on 29 July 1997, Provincial
Governor Wichan Chaiyanan ordered the suppression of Burmese beggars in the
municipal area and sent more than 10 beggars back to Burma.  The MIS spies
have been sent to Thailand as beggars, laborers, and even Buddhist monks.
The abbot of Papao Temple, Inta Inthawiro, said he believed that
Burmese workers might be spying for the Burmese Government because they
know all the places in the country.
Burmese workers are scattered all over Thailand, especially in the
northern provinces of Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Lampang, Phrae,
and Phayao.
A big fire that broke out at Sichum Temple in Lampang Province in
mid-1997 could be a coincidence that shed light on Burmese spying
activities.  Two Burmese monks were accepted to stay at the temple as
requested by the Burmese Government.  Not very long after the two Burmese
monks were allowed to stay at the temple, a big fire broke out and    badly
damaged the temple.
In a letter sent to the Thai Foreign Ministry, the Burmese Government
said it wanted the two monks to stay at the temple because the temple was
built by Burmese architects some 200 years ago when northern Thailand was
under the Burmese rule.
Besides the two Burmese monks, Alexander Sebastian, a westerner
holding a Burmese citizenship and who was once elected as a member of the
temple's administrative committee, was suspected of masterminding the
blaze.
According to the investigation conducted by a Thai intelligence
agency, Sebastian was an English teacher at the evening school at the
temple.  Five or six years ago, he lived in Chiang Mai and carried fake
Thai citizen identification card.  He married in Lampang and used his
teaching career as a cover for his spy mission.
Sebastian was, in fact, an MIS spy sent to work in Thailand since
1987.
Today many Burmese Buddhist monks are still illegally living at
several temples in Lampang because they have not renewed their entry visas.
Phraracha Khunnaphon, chief of ecclesiastical organization of Lampang
Province, said: "I believe that many provinces are facing the same problem.
 We do not know their objectives and we have no way to keep them under
surveillance.  Many Burmese monks failed to renew their entry visas. 
However, ecclesiastical authorities are making sure that the problem will
not affect relations between the two countries."
It has been known that Burmese immigrants normally sneak into Thailand
via Mae Sot District of Tak Province and Mae Sai District of Chiang Rai
Province.
An intelligence officer of the Supreme Command Headquarters revealed
that most of the MIS spies first migrated to Mae Sot before being sent to
other places such as Sichum Temple in Lampang, Burmese Temple in Chiang Mai
Province, and Mandalay Temple in Mae Hong Son Province.
It has been learned that the Burmese Temple, which is situated right
in the heart of Chiang Mai Province, has secret rooms under the monks'
living quarters.
The intelligence officer said: "A surveillance operation was once
conducted, but it was rather difficult to keep all of them under close
surveillance because there are thousands of MIS spies. They are divided in
groups of ten, and they disguise themselves as construction workers,
students, democracy advocates, and so on all over Thailand."
Originally, MIS spies were assigned to assist military operations
against anti-government ethnic groups along the border with Thailand. 
However, after the admission of Burma into the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations, they have a new mission. They are now ordered to gather
information pertaining to domestic and international economic developments.
With more works to do, the MIS sent more spies to work in different
targeted areas.  These spies are mingling with millions of both legal and
illegal Burmese workers who are now scattered all over Thailand.
If illegal workers are thoroughly screened before being pushed out of
the country, we might be able to get hold of some Burmese military officers
who are sent to work in Bangkok as commanders of spy units.
[Description of Source: Phuchatkan--business-oriented daily newspaper]