12-9-2023 (BANGKOK) Kannavee Suebsang, a member of parliament representing the Fair Party, is urging the Thai government to conduct a thorough investigation into reports of heavily armed Myanmar soldiers crossing the border into Umphang district of Tak province.
“If these reports are confirmed, it is imperative that the government provides the public with a detailed account of the situation,” he emphasized.
The two reported incidents have raised concerns that the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) perceives Thailand as aligning with the Myanmar military, according to the opposition MP. He cited discussions observed in Myanmar- and Karen-language media as evidence of this perception.
Suebsang stressed that the presence of nearly 100 Myanmar soldiers within Thailand’s borders constitutes a national issue rather than a mere border concern, necessitating the involvement of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a full-fledged investigation, treating it as a matter of international relations.
Based on information obtained from activists operating along the Thai-Myanmar border, Kannavee revealed that between 80 and 100 armed Myanmar soldiers entered Thailand through two border villages, Ban Le Tong Khu and Ban Mo Ta Lua, on September 3.
These soldiers set up camp in a paddy field just one kilometer from the nearest Thai community, while on the Myanmar side of the border, a village was reportedly encircled by Karen armed guerrillas, he explained.
It was only after Thai villagers alerted their village head to the presence of Myanmar soldiers on Thai soil that action was taken, as Kannavee described. However, local Thai soldiers stationed nearby were initially unresponsive until a social media post on September 5 raised awareness about the situation.
According to sources, the Thai army’s Naresuan Task Force dispatched a team to negotiate with the Myanmar soldiers and the KNLA. Eventually, the KNLA agreed to stop obstructing the soldiers’ path, but the Myanmar soldiers remained on Thai soil.
This led to a second round of negotiations by the Thai military before the Myanmar soldiers eventually withdrew.
In a subsequent incident, villagers spotted an additional 10 to 20 armed Myanmar soldiers returning to Ban Le Tong Khu to purchase food. This prompted further reports to the village head, who then alerted the Thai military.
Choku Rotsirichai, the village head, reported the incident to the Thai military, which once again sent soldiers to negotiate and ensure the safe return of the Myanmar soldiers to their own territory, according to Kannavee.
