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Bkk Post - Burma constantly expandi

Subject: Bkk Post - Burma constantly expanding military

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      Bangkok post - Jan 07, 2000.
      MILITARY LECTURE


      Thais need to remain ever vigilant
      Burma constantly expanding military



      Thailand should remain vigilant with Burma posing a potential =
security threat, the supreme commander warned yesterday.

      Gen Mongkol Ampornpisit made the remark while delivering a lecture =
to some 200 officers at National Defence College and Joint Staff =
College.

      "Though posing no threat now, Burma could change in the future. =
While most countries are downsizing their armed forces, Burma keeps =
expanding its military capability," he said.

      Gen Mongkol said such concerns had been voiced at a recent meeting =
of supreme commanders from the Asia-Pacific region.

      Neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia are not =
a threat to the region, despite an enhancement in Vietnam's naval =
capability, he said.

      Gen Mongkol also stressed the importance of maintaining good =
relationship with Cambodia.

      Relations with Rangoon have turned sour following the embassy =
siege by armed Burmese dissidents in October last year.

      While Thailand keeps a watchful eye on drug traffickers from =
across the border, Burma harbours suspicions Thai authorities are giving =
support to its minority groups. Burma could not accept the fact that =
those who seized its mission were provided safe passage across the =
border in exchange for hostage release. The supreme commander said the =
Thai defence budget is the smallest compared to those of Singapore and =
Malaysia.

      The latter is meanwhile developing its air defence capability by =
procuring fighter jets-F/A18, F-16 and MiG-29 models.

      Malaysia's procurement of MiG-29 equipped with so-called =
Amraamskis from Russia would likely make the United States sell its =
Amraams to other countries in the region, Gen Mongkol added.
      =20


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      <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT color=3D#900000 =
face=3DARIAL,HELVETICA><B>Bangkok post -=20
      Jan 07, 2000.</B></FONT></DIV>
      <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT color=3D#900000 =
face=3DARIAL,HELVETICA><B>MILITARY=20
      LECTURE</B></FONT></DIV><BR></B></FONT></CENTER>
      <H1><!-- HEADLINE -->
      <H1 align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D4>Thais need to remain ever =
vigilant</FONT></H1><!--KICKER--><FONT size=3D+2><I>Burma constantly=20
      expanding military</I></FONT><BR><BR></H1>
      <P><FONT color=3D#000000>
      <P><FONT size=3D+2><B>T</B></FONT>hailand should remain vigilant =
with Burma=20
      posing a potential security threat, the supreme commander warned=20
      yesterday.</P>
      <P>Gen Mongkol Ampornpisit made the remark while delivering a =
lecture to=20
      some 200 officers at National Defence College and Joint Staff =
College.</P>
      <P>"Though posing no threat now, Burma could change in the future. =
While=20
      most countries are downsizing their armed forces, Burma keeps =
expanding=20
      its military capability," he said.</P>
      <P>Gen Mongkol said such concerns had been voiced at a recent =
meeting of=20
      supreme commanders from the Asia-Pacific region.</P>
      <P>Neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia are =
not a=20
      threat to the region, despite an enhancement in Vietnam's naval=20
      capability, he said.</P>
      <P>Gen Mongkol also stressed the importance of maintaining good=20
      relationship with Cambodia.</P>
      <P>Relations with Rangoon have turned sour following the embassy =
siege by=20
      armed Burmese dissidents in October last year.</P>
      <P>While Thailand keeps a watchful eye on drug traffickers from =
across the=20
      border, Burma harbours suspicions Thai authorities are giving =
support to=20
      its minority groups. Burma could not accept the fact that those =
who seized=20
      its mission were provided safe passage across the border in =
exchange for=20
      hostage release. The supreme commander said the Thai defence =
budget is the=20
      smallest compared to those of Singapore and Malaysia.</P>
      <P>The latter is meanwhile developing its air defence capability =
by=20
      procuring fighter jets-F/A18, F-16 and MiG-29 models.</P>
      <P>Malaysia's procurement of MiG-29 equipped with so-called =
Amraamskis=20
      from Russia would likely make the United States sell its Amraams =
to other=20
      countries in the region, Gen Mongkol added.</P></FONT></TD>
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