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Bangkok Post (3/8/99)







<bold>SAN TON DU



Traders baulk at closure of border

Authorities accused of over-reaction

</bold>


Subin Khuenkaew and Nusara Thaitawat



Two trading partners who expect heavy losses from the closure of the San
Ton Du border crossing have accused the government of being misinformed
and exaggerating the United Wa State Army's role in narcotics.


U Awei Min, managing director of Haw Kham Co, and Somkhit Onmon, of
Pookha Carving Ltd Part, said their business in buying goods via San Ton
Du is above board.


Allegations that drug profits are used to buy goods from Thailand are
exaggerated, they said.


Mr Awei Min and Mr Somkhit have asked the government to dig deeper into
the facts surrounding the UWSA and the drugs trade in the North.


"The government never sought our views in the decision to close San Ton
Du," said Mr Somkhit whose company is one of seven with concessions to
trade via the crossing, which leads to the Wa town of Mong Yawn.


"Does the government have evidence of Mong Yawn's involvement in the
drugs trade?" said Mr Somkhit, who claimed he had never seen anything to
indicate drugs were produced there and pointed out that addiction was a
serious offence among the UWSA.


Mr Somkhit believed the crossing between Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, and
Tachilek posed greater problems. Senior leaders of the UWSA, accused by
Thailand and the United States of being the biggest drug trafficking
organisation in the Golden Triangle, had houses in Tachilek, he said.


Huge quantities of drugs filtered into Thailand from Tachilek while
stolen cars were smuggled the other way.


Last week, eight tonnes of caffeine, used in the production of
methamphetamine, or speed, were seized.


"Why doesn't the government close the Mae Sai-Tachilek crossing as well?"
he said. "It should have closed it before San Ton Du."


Mr Somkhit, whose trading partner is linked closely to leaders of the
State Peace and Development Council, would not say how much he stood to
lose from the closure of San Ton Du.


San Ton Du was the best crossing into Shan State even before the roads to
the towns of Mong Hsat and Pangsanh were upgraded because the Wa kept
areas under their control safe and did not extort traders.


Trading through the Nong Uk crossing, in Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai,
was most difficult because of extortion from Burmese and other groups.



For example, he said, the Burmese military charges 50 satang on a litre
of petrol, customs 15 satang, and immigration 10 satang. Then, Burmese
military intelligence, soldiers of the Shan State Army and the Lahu all
demand their cut.


Time is also lost at Nong Uk, 40km from San Ton Du, with traders having
to wait days for travel permits. Mr Somkhit said the UWSA did not extort
Thai traders because they re-sold the goods at a profit.


The other firms with concessions to trade via San Ton Du are Sor
Charoenwan Ltd, Siridamrongkiat Part, Golden Triangle Ltd, Mae Hong Son
Pichai Part, Sriraming Ltd, and Kitlak Petroleum Part.


According to Mr Somkhit, only his company and Sor Charoenwan, both
exporters of petrol and construction materials, are active.

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