4-9-2024 (YANGON) A harrowing incident unfolded in the notorious “Golden Triangle” region where Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand converge, as a boat carrying passengers capsized in the treacherous waters of the Mekong River. Officials reported on Wednesday that at least 20 individuals remain unaccounted for following the mishap that occurred late Monday evening.
Manop Senakul, the police chief of Thailand’s northern Chiang Rai province, disclosed to AFP that the vessel encountered “strong currents” at the time of the incident. “We can confirm that a minimum of 20 people are currently missing,” Senakul stated, adding that rescue efforts had successfully saved 16 Myanmar nationals thus far.
Reports from Myanmar media suggest that the ill-fated boat was ferrying passengers from Laos to Myanmar when it ran into difficulties after experiencing engine failure. The gravity of the situation was captured in social media footage, verified and geolocated by AFP, depicting frantic rescue attempts on the Laos side of the river as people struggled against the swift current.
Nyi Rang, a spokesperson for the United Wa State Army (UWSA), revealed that the majority of those missing hail from the semi-autonomous Wa enclave in eastern Myanmar. “We are still in the process of investigating the incident in collaboration with Laotian authorities,” Rang explained, though he refrained from specifying why individuals from the Wa region were traversing the river.
The incident’s proximity to the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Laos has raised eyebrows. This area, known for its Chinese-owned casinos and hotels, has gained notoriety as a suspected hub for various illicit activities, including cyber scams, drug smuggling, and gambling operations.
The Wa region, situated on Myanmar’s border with China, is virtually isolated from the rest of the country, surrounded by checkpoints and subject to strict internal controls. Interestingly, the region utilises the Chinese yuan and internet services, further highlighting its unique status.
This tragic event underscores the perilous nature of water transport in Myanmar, a nation grappling with poverty, rudimentary infrastructure, and lax safety regulations. The incident evokes memories of a similar tragedy in 2016, where 73 people, many of them educators and students, lost their lives when their overloaded vessel capsized on the Chindwin River in central Myanmar.
