THe Nation - Burma closes northern

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Subject: THe Nation - Burma closes northern crossing

The Nation - Aug 19, 1999.
Headlines
Burma closes northern crossing

CHIANG MAI -- Burmese authorities have abruptly closed a northern border
crossing that link's Mae Ai district to a Shan village in Pong Pakhem in
Burma's Shan State, army and district officials said yesterday.

''The move came as a surprise and without any explanation from the Burmese
authorities,'' said Maj-Gen Chamlong Phothong, chief-of-staff for the Army's
3rd Region.

Arkhom Thuladilok, Chiang Dao's district chief, told reporters yesterday
that vehicles were prohibited to go through the Kiw Phawok checkpoint, but
local residents can cross on a day pass to shop at a local market.

Burma's Pong Pakhem village is home to about 200 Shan families while
residents of Thailand's Kiw Phawok are mostly ethnic Chinese.

The closure is likely to affect scores of Burmese wholesalers, all of whom
buy goods from Thai merchants and distribute them to villages and cities in
the area which is dominated by ethnic Shans.

Thai officials believe yesterday's move may be in retaliation for the
closure of the Baan Son Thon Doo temporary crossing point, which links the
Mae Ai district to an area under the control of the United Wa State Army
(UWSA).

UWSA is one of the world's largest armed drug trafficking groups and a
number of its leaders have been charged with drug trafficking by an American
court.

Baan Son Thon Doo, also in Mae Ai district, was shut down last week by the
National Security Council as part of measures to curb the flow of illicit
drugs from entering the country.

Yesterday's move came just days before Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan is to
meet his counterpart in Rangoon at the 5th Thai-Burma Joint Commission.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Don Pamudwinai said both sides will discuss how
to deal with tens of thousands of displaced Burmese living along the border
as well as thousands of Burmese illegal immigrants working in Thailand.

''We believe that Burma's strong cooperation in suppression of narcotics and
illegal immigrants will bring about order along the border and close
relations,'' the spokesman said.

The meeting will start on April 23 for senior officials and April 24-25 for
the ministerial level. It will be co-chaired by Surin and his Burmese
counterpart, U Win Aung.

Don added that the joint commission will also raise concerns on the
smuggling of vehicles from Thailand to Burma through the border. The number
of smuggled vehicles to Burma has decreased by about 30 per cent as the
Burmese have imposed harsher penalties on vehicles smuggled from Thailand.

Meanwhile, an informed source said that the Thailand will propose that
additional border coordination units be established to keep order along the
border.

The proposed locations will be in Chiang Rai, either at Chiang Dao or Wieng
Hang districts, and at Singkorn pass in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Klong Wan
district.

Referring to the smuggling of vehicles, the source said Thailand expected
both countries to sign a cooperation agreement to curb illegal activities. A
similar agreement has been signed with Cambodia.

Moreover, Bangkok will raise its grave concerns on the opening of three
casinos on the Burmese side along the border that they could be sources of
illegal activities and crimes.

The source said that Bangkok wishes to see a pass at the Three Pagodas in
Kanchanaburi province be upgraded to promote tourism and trade.

Referring to repeated conflicts at sea, the source said that Rangoon has not
yet adopted the agreement that fishing boats would not be armed.

''So we expect to raise the issue with Burma at the joint commission
meeting,'' the source said.

Spokesman Don said the two countries will sign a visa-free agreement for
diplomatic and official passports as well as cultural agreements at the
meeting.


The Nation