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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>
<TABLE border=3D0 cellPadding=3D5 cellSpacing=3D0 style=3D"HEIGHT: =
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    <TD vAlign=3Dtop><FONT size=3D+2><!-- head ends here --><FONT=20
      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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