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BKK Post, March 25, 1998. BORDER IN



March 25, 1998. BORDER INCURSIONS

Burma urged to prevent DKBA raids on camps
Minister calls for show of Asean unity
Bhanravee Tansubhapol
Supamart Kasem

Thailand yesterday urged Burma to tackle urgently the problem of border 
incursions by Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) forces in order to 
demonstrate Asean unity.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra gave the message to 
Burmese Ambassador Hla Maung, who was yesterday summoned to the ministry 
to hear a protest against an armed attack on the Mawkier refugee camp in 
Phop Phra district of Tak on Monday.

The protest letter clearly identified the pro-Rangoon DKBA, a Karen 
splinter group, as the attacker.

The Thai embassy in Rangoon also submitted another protest letter to the 
Burmese government on Monday.

"The incident affected the Rangoon-Bangkok relationship, both of which 
are members of Asean," M.R. Sukhumbhand said after his meeting with the 
Burmese envoy.

Both countries should show the international community that Asean 
members were ready to cooperate with one another, and that the two 
countries could walk hand in hand to a meeting of Asean foreign 
ministers, he added.

The annual meeting of Asean foreign ministers takes place in July. Burma 
joined the grouping last year.

M.R. Sukhumbhand yesterday asked Burma to release two Thai soldiers 
believed to have been captured during Monday's cross-border raid but did 
not demand compensation for them.

He also urged Rangoon to increase safety measures on its side to prevent 
future attacks which could endanger Thai villagers and Karen refugees.

M.R. Sukhumbhand, who plans to inspect the Thai border with Burma before 
visiting Rangoon early next month, said he did not want to see such 
incidents as the world was watching Asean countries tackle their 
financial crisis.

Two Thai soldiers remained missing yesterday. They are believed to have 
been taken hostage during Monday's DKBA attack on the Mawkier camp. Four 
other Thai soldiers were also wounded.

The Thai army chief, Gen Chettha Thanajaro, flew to Phitsanulok 
yesterday to get first hand information on the border situation.

The local Thai-Burmese Border Committee (TBC) has coordinated with 
Myawaddy to search for the two missing soldiers.

Thai TBC chairman Col Chatchapat Yamngamriab identified them as Sgt Aree 
Hoonyon and Pvt Mana Sumaporn of the Fourth Infantry Regiment Task 
Force.

"We are still looking for them along the border and has coordinated with 
Burma's TBC chairman Lt-Col Saing Phone in Myawaddy to seek their return 
in case they have been taken hostage or strayed across the border into 
Burma and captured," he said.

Earlier reports said four Thai soldiers were taken hostage and two of 
them managed to escape.

Col Chatchapat, commander of the task force, yesterday said four Thai 
soliders were wounded when their vehicle ran over a landmine near Ban 
Valley while on their way to block the intruders from fleeing across the 
border.

However, a border source said they might have been wounded by mortar 
rounds fired by other Thai soldiers in pursuit of the fleeing DKBA 
raiders.

Gen Chettha originally planned to go to Mae Sot by helicopter yesterday 
for a briefing on the border situation by the Fourth Infantry Regiment 
Task Force. However, poor visibility due to smoke from raging forest 
fires forced him to fly to the Third Army headquarters in Phitsanulok 
instead.

Third Army deputy commander Maj-Gen Wattanachai Chaimuenwong, Fourth 
Infantry Division chief Maj-Gen Chalor Thongsala and other officers who 
were waiting in Mae Sot also had to fly to meet Gen Chettha in 
Phitsanulok.

Meanwhile, Supreme Commander Gen Mongkol Ampornpisith said yesterday 
persistent DKBA attacks on Karen camps on Thai soil would be raised for 
consideration at today's meeting of the Defence Council.

He said although Burma denied its involvement in the attacks, it could 
not completely deny its responsibility because the attackers came from 
Burmese soil.

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