Bkk Post-Burma dyke encroaches on T

[tinkyi@xxxxxxx]

Subject: Bkk Post-Burma dyke encroaches on Thai soil

Burma dyke encroaches on Thai soil
Complaint lodged for the 6th time this year

Supamart Kasem
Tak

Thai authorities have reiterated their accusation that Burma is building a
dyke that encroaches on the Moei River opposite Mae Sot district - the sixth
time the accusation has been made this year.

Fourth Infantry Regiment Task Force commander Col Chayuti Boonparn, who
chairs Thailand's Local Thai-Burmese Border Committee, yesterday led
officials and members of the media to observe construction of a concrete
dyke in the Moei River in Myawaddy opposite Ban Mae Dao, in Mae Sot.

Col Chayuti said Burmese authorities have filled a 500-metre stretch of the
river bank and the dyke has been built 10 metres deep into the river, north
of the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge.

He added that a number of Burmese boats have been used to take sand from the
river to fill a water channel on Burma's side between the dyke and the river
bank.

Since then, the Thai committee chairman has submitted an aide-memoire to his
Burmese counterpart Lt-Col Tin Ngwe six times to protest against the move
and request a halt in construction but there has been no response.

He said: "Burma had red poles posted in the Moei River to mark the site
during high tide. When the tide lowered, they started construction. Hundreds
of thousand cubic metres of soil and sand have been used to fill the river
so far.

"Whenever Thailand has made a protest the Burmese authorities have claimed
Burmese villagers had the right to do this to prevent erosion of the river
bank."

He threatened to reveal the scandal to other countries worldwide and have a
newly-dug water channel in the Moei River on the Thai side, south of the
friendship bridge, filled in retaliation unless Burma stops the river
encroachment.