[ul]
[li]Published: 9/11/2010 at 05:10 PM[/li][li]Online news: Local News[/li][/ul]
Civilians who fled across the border into Thailand following Monday’s fight between ethnic Karen forces and the Burmese army have started to return home now the junta’s troops have taken control of Myawaddy, Mae Sot district chief Kittisak Tomornsak said on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Kittisak said Burmese villagers who took refuge at the 346th Border Patrol Police unit were moving back across the Moei river back to Burmese territory.
Border patrol soldiers and state agencies were assisting their return, he said.
The return of the refugees began a few hours after Third Army commander Wannatip Wongwai said Burmese authorities had reported that government troops have pushed ethnic Karen rebels out of Myawaddy.
The Burmese army said it had wrested control of the border town, opposite Mae Sot district, from the soldiers of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), he said.
Refugees who fled across the border into Thailand would not be pushed back until it was confirmed that the area is cleared and safe, but in the meantime no more Burmese civilians would be allowed to enter Thailand, except for those living North of the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge, he said.
National Security Council secr tary-general Thawil Pliensri sakid about 20,000 Burmese civilians had fled over the border into Thailand since the latest clash between the Burmese army and Karen forces began on Monday.
Mr Thawil said about 17,000 poured into Mae Sot district, 400 fled to Tak’s Phob Phra district and about 1,700 others had escaped through Kanchanaburi’s Sangkhla Buri district since Monday.
He expected the fighting to be prolonged, but said armed men will not be allowed to enter Thailand.
“We will follow our protocol. Fighters will not be allowed to enter Thailand unless they disarm first,” he said.
Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said international organisations can provide assistance to the refugees through the Thai Red Cross.
Most of of the people who have fled across the border were women, children and the elderly, he said.
Fighting between the two groups were reported in the morning, and a stray mortar shell was found at Dan Chedi Sam Ong in Kanchanaburi, Sangkhla Buri district chief Jamras Kingnoi said.
About 3,000 people reported to have crossed the border into Kanchanaburi on Moonday.
Some have already returned to Burma, he said.Bangkokpost.
[ul]
[li]Published: 10/11/2010 at 12:00 AM[/li][li]Newspaper section: News[/li][/ul]
Most Burmese civilians who took refuge in Mae Sot district of Tak have returned home despite warnings the border remains volatile.
Burma watchers said yesterday government forces could mount a sweeping attack in retaliation against ethnic minority groups along the border. The fighting could spill over into Thailand.
Thai military leaders have confirmed that their troops would distance themselves from Burma’s internal affairs and insisted that no more centres would be opened to shelter refugees.
Third Army commander Wannathip Wongwai said yesterday the governor of Myawaddy had confirmed the situation in the city was under control and Burmese troops had retaken control.
Border passes at Mae Sot and Rim Moei have reopened for Burmese to return home, Lt Gen Wannathip said.
Mae Sot district chief Kittisak Tomornsak said most Burmese civilians in Mae Sot had started to return home after Thai authorities told them Burmese officials confirmed the situation in Myawaddy was now safe.
At least 20,000 Burmese, mostly Karen civilians, fled across the border into Thailand after fierce fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese government troops erupted on Monday _ one day after Burma held its first election in 20 years.
Thai authorities allowed them to take refuge at the 346th Border Patrol Police unit in Mae Sot.
The clashes erupted in Myawaddy opposite Tak and opposite the Three Pagodas Pass in Sangkhla Buri district of Kanchanaburi.
The fighting broke out after about 1,000 soldiers from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) stormed a military camp in Myawaddy on Monday morning.
Mr Kittisak said most Burmese civilians came from major communities in Myawaddy. Some were migrants working in factories in Mae Sot.
Factory representatives have been sent to collect the workers from the border patrol police unit.
Mr Kittisak said between 3,000 and 4,000 Burmese had decided to remain at the unit as they were unsure about their safety if they returned to Burma.
In Kanchanaburi, Sangkhla Buri district chief Chamras Kangnoi said yesterday sporadic fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops continued in Phaya Taung Su town in Burma about one kilometre from Three Pagodas Pass.
About 1,900 Burmese fled into Thailand near the Three Pagodas Pass yesterday, bringing the number of Burmese crossing the border to about 3,500, Mr Chamras said.
Sangkhla Buri health officials said a nine-year-old Burmese boy succumbed to shrapnel wounds yesterday after crossing into Thailand.
Seven other Burmese fleeing across the border into the district were injured, two of them sustaining critical wounds.
About 100 additional army troops were mobilised to the border in Sangkhla Buri last night, an army source said.
The build-up came as fear of expected renewed violence prompted 1,000 more Burmese villagers to cross the border into the district last night.
Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday the army would continue to provide Burmese civilians with humanitarian assistance until the situation on the other side of the border returned to normal.
Plans are in place to provide them with medical care and to facilitate their transport home, Gen Prayuth said.
“We will provide them with temporary shelter and will arrange to send them back when the situation is back to normal,” he said.
Gen Prayuth stressed that no more refugee centres would be set up as the existing number of camps was adequate to handle the influx of refugees.bangkokpost.