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ST-Thai general warns of Myanmar's
- Subject: ST-Thai general warns of Myanmar's
- From: tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2000 06:24:00
Subject: ST-Thai general warns of Myanmar's might
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The Straits Time JAN 8 2000=20
Thai general warns of Myanmar's might=20
Military chief says Yangon now has 400,000 armed troops and modern =
jets while other countries are cutting down their armed forces=20
BANGKOK -- Thailand's supreme military commander has warned that =
Myanmar's expanding military forces pose a potential threat to =
neighbouring Thailand.=20
"Though posing no threat now, Myanmar could change in the future," =
General Mongkol Ampornpisit said in a National Defence College lecture, =
reported yesterday by the Bangkok Post.=20
"While most countries are downsizing their armed forces, Myanmar =
keeps expanding its military capability," Gen Mongkol was quoted as =
saying.=20
The armed forces in Myanmar have more than doubled to some 400,000 =
and have modernised with everything from small arms to jet fighters from =
China since the current government took power in 1988 after crushing =
protests against an earlier military regime.=20
Gen Mongkol's comments underlined the fracture in relations =
between the two countries.=20
Ties had been cordial until five rebels laid siege on the Myanmar =
embassy in Bangkok last October.=20
When Thailand freed the armed rebels in return for the release of =
hostages, Myanmar responded by closing its long land border with =
Thailand for two months.=20
Gen Mongkol said that concern about the expansion in Myanmar's =
military had been voiced at a recent meeting of supreme commanders from =
the Asia-Pacific region, the Post reported.=20
Thailand's armed forces have faced huge cuts since the economy =
went into recession in 1997.=20
It is planning to cut 46,000 troops to reach a 190,000-strong =
military by 2007, including a 25 percent reduction in the top-heavy =
ranks of colonels and generals.=20
Most Myanmar troops are engaged in fighting insurgents and =
enforcing the government's rule.=20
Myanmar claims that Thailand is allowing insurgents along the =
border to seek refuge on Thai soil. -- AP=20
=20
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<DIV><FONT face=3D"Helvetica, Arial" size=3D2><B>The Straits Time JAN 8 =
2000=20
</B></FONT>
<P><!--HEADLINE FOR REGION STORY-->
<P>
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color=3D#800000>Thai general warns of Myanmar's might =
</FONT></FONT>
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P><B>Military chief says Yangon now has 400,000 armed troops and =
modern=20
jets while other countries are cutting down their armed forces</B> =
<P>BANGKOK -- Thailand's supreme military commander has warned =
that=20
Myanmar's expanding military forces pose a potential threat to=20
neighbouring Thailand.=20
<P>"Though posing no threat now, Myanmar could change in the =
future,"=20
General Mongkol Ampornpisit said in a National Defence College =
lecture,=20
reported yesterday by the Bangkok Post.=20
<P>"While most countries are downsizing their armed forces, =
Myanmar keeps=20
expanding its military capability," Gen Mongkol was quoted as =
saying.=20
<P>The armed forces in Myanmar have more than doubled to some =
400,000 and=20
have modernised with everything from small arms to jet fighters =
from China=20
since the current government took power in 1988 after crushing =
protests=20
against an earlier military regime.=20
<P>Gen Mongkol's comments underlined the fracture in relations =
between the=20
two countries.=20
<P>Ties had been cordial until five rebels laid siege on the =
Myanmar=20
embassy in Bangkok last October.=20
<P>When Thailand freed the armed rebels in return for the release =
of=20
hostages, Myanmar responded by closing its long land border with =
Thailand=20
for two months.=20
<P>Gen Mongkol said that concern about the expansion in Myanmar's =
military=20
had been voiced at a recent meeting of supreme commanders from the =
Asia-Pacific region, the Post reported.=20
<P>Thailand's armed forces have faced huge cuts since the economy =
went=20
into recession in 1997.=20
<P>It is planning to cut 46,000 troops to reach a 190,000-strong =
military=20
by 2007, including a 25 percent reduction in the top-heavy ranks =
of=20
colonels and generals.=20
<P>Most Myanmar troops are engaged in fighting insurgents and =
enforcing=20
the government's rule.=20
<P>Myanmar claims that Thailand is allowing insurgents along the =
border to=20
seek refuge on Thai soil. -- AP=20
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