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AP-Myanmar Forces, Shan Rebels Clas

Subject: AP-Myanmar Forces, Shan Rebels Clash Near Thai Border

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Tuesday, December 21 1:57 PM SGT=20
Myanmar Forces, Shan Rebels Clash Near Thai Border
BANGKOK (AP)--The Thai army has increased forces on a section of its =
northern border with Myanmar following clashes between Shan rebels and =
Myanmar forces, Thai military said Tuesday.=20
Guerrillas of the Shan State Army (SSA) have been under attack from =
Myanmar units, which attacked an SSA camp inside Myanmar about 8 =
kilometers from the border with the Mae Faluang district of Thailand's =
Chiang Rai province.=20

Sao Ood Kesi, an SSA liaison officer, said the fighting, which peaked =
over the weekend, followed an ambush Dec. 13 by SSA troops on a drug =
convoy, killing five Lahu tribesmen and Myanmar soldiers carrying =
400,000 methamphetamine pills.=20

The SSA, which says it has declared war on narcotics in the jungles of =
eastern Myanmar at the center of Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle, =
claims to have handed over the drugs and one wounded Lahu militiaman to =
Thai military two days later.=20

Maj. Samart Potisakdi, a Thai intelligence officer at the Doi Pha Muang =
Army Base in Chiang Mai province that oversees the northern Thai border =
with Myanmar and Laos, confirmed Thailand had arrested one Lahu man with =
the drugs, but said it did so on its own tip-off.=20

He said fighting continues in small pockets and gunshots are heard =
occasionally from the Thai side of the border. He said an unconfirmed =
number of people died in the clashes over the weekend.=20

"It is the beginning of dry season when fighting inside Myanmar usually =
takes place. So far, it has not spilled onto Thai soil," Samart said.=20

The SSA, which wants independence for the Shan State from Myanmar, =
includes remnants of the former army of Khun Sa, a notorious drug lord =
who surrendered to Yangon nearly four years ago and is still wanted on =
trafficking charges in the U.S.=20


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>Tuesday, December 21</B> 1:57 PM SGT =

<H2><FONT size=3D4>Myanmar Forces, Shan Rebels Clash Near Thai=20
Border</FONT></H2>BANGKOK (AP)--The Thai army has increased forces on a =
section=20
of its northern border with Myanmar following clashes between Shan =
rebels and=20
Myanmar forces, Thai military said Tuesday.=20
<P>Guerrillas of the Shan State Army (SSA) have been under attack from =
Myanmar=20
units, which attacked an SSA camp inside Myanmar about 8 kilometers from =
the=20
border with the Mae Faluang district of Thailand's Chiang Rai province.=20
<P>Sao Ood Kesi, an SSA liaison officer, said the fighting, which peaked =
over=20
the weekend, followed an ambush Dec. 13 by SSA troops on a drug convoy, =
killing=20
five Lahu tribesmen and Myanmar soldiers carrying 400,000 =
methamphetamine pills.=20

<P>The SSA, which says it has declared war on narcotics in the jungles =
of=20
eastern Myanmar at the center of Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle, =
claims to=20
have handed over the drugs and one wounded Lahu militiaman to Thai =
military two=20
days later.=20
<P>Maj. Samart Potisakdi, a Thai intelligence officer at the Doi Pha =
Muang Army=20
Base in Chiang Mai province that oversees the northern Thai border with =
Myanmar=20
and Laos, confirmed Thailand had arrested one Lahu man with the drugs, =
but said=20
it did so on its own tip-off.=20
<P>He said fighting continues in small pockets and gunshots are heard=20
occasionally from the Thai side of the border. He said an unconfirmed =
number of=20
people died in the clashes over the weekend.=20
<P>"It is the beginning of dry season when fighting inside Myanmar =
usually takes=20
place. So far, it has not spilled onto Thai soil," Samart said.=20
<P>The SSA, which wants independence for the Shan State from Myanmar, =
includes=20
remnants of the former army of Khun Sa, a notorious drug lord who =
surrendered to=20
Yangon nearly four years ago and is still wanted on trafficking charges =
in the=20
U.S. </P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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