Thread: Thailand preparing for possible refugee exodus from Myanmar: PM

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Monday his government is preparing for a potential flood of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar.


“We don’t want to have an exodus into our territory, but we will observe human rights, too,” Prayuth told reporters when asked about a weekend of violence in Myanmar during anti-coup demonstrations. “How many refugees are expected? We have prepared an area, but how many - we are not talking about that.”


Thailand preparing for possible refugee exodus from Myanmar: PM | Reuters

this could be interesting.

the thai government will be between a rock and a hard place once the burmese ask thailand to send the refugees back.

my guess is that they wont even take them in.

“Civil war is inevitable” after bloody weekend in Myanmar


Opposition to Myanmar’s military junta is growing as political groups and dissidents rally their base and appeal to potential allies both inside the country and internationally after a bloody weekend crackdown left over 100 protesters dead.


Non-violent protests against the Tatmadaw (Myanmar armed forces) continued in multiple cities in Myanmar on the weekend despite security forces opening fire with live ammunition and airplane strikes.


The violence left at least 114 protesters dead and many more wounded in the bloodiest period of the turmoil so far since the Tatmadaw took power in a coup on February 1.


Among those killed were medics, children, ethnic minorities, and innocent bystanders.


“The want us to shut our mouths and listen, that is why they are using excessive force and killing civilians in a lawless manner,” Muang Sang Kha, a member of the General Strike Committeee, told Thai Enquirer by phone.


“What happened on Saturday was a massacre,” the one-time poet said.


According to Maung, the protesters will keep fighting because it was “necessary” to oppose and overthrow the chipmakers.


“It is worth it to risk hundreds of lives, thousands if necessary, to get rid of dictators,” he said.

Rallying support


The General Strike Council, on Sunday, released a statement on Sunday urging 16 ethnic armed organizations to protect anti-coup protesters and to move against the military junta.


Throughout the weekend, leaders from the toppled National League for Democracy political party, the General Strike Council, and the Civil Disobedience Movement called for international attention and action to end the violence in Myanmar.


On Sunday evening, the defense chiefs from 12 countries, including Japan and South Korea, signed a document calling for an end to violence in Myanmar.


But despite ongoing sanctions and international attention, many with Myanmar say that the fight must be won internally and that they could no longer rely on international support.


“No one will help us. Not the Americans, not the EU, not ASEAN, we are on our own and we must fight on our own,” said a CDM member who asked not to be named.


“The international community only cares about [their self interest] they do not care about us,” he told Thai Enquirer by phone.


According to Maung Sang Kha non-violent resistance must continue but “the blood-thirsty junta has declared war on the Myanmar people.


“I think a civil war is inevitable,” he said.


"Civil war is inevitable" after bloody weekend in Myanmar - Thai Enquirer

Thousands of displaced Burmese flee to Thailand following military air strikes


As the situation escalates in Myanmar, and fears grow that civil war is about to break out, around 3,000 displaced Burmese villagers have fled to Thailand. The Bangkok Post reports that on Saturday, the Burmese army launched an air offensive on a village controlled by an armed ethnic group.


The village in the southeastern Karen state is close to the Thai border and it’s reported that the military launched air strikes on 5 areas in the Mutraw district. The Karen Women’s Organisation say the strikes also hit a displacement camp.


“At the moment, villagers are hiding in the jungle as more than 3,000 crossed to Thailand to take refuge.”

David Eubank from the humanitarian organisation, Free Burma Rangers, says at least 2 soldiers from the Karen National Union have been killed, also claiming that the Burmese army is being helped by powerful allies.

“We haven’t had air strikes there for over 20 years. Second, these were at night, so the capability of the Burma military has increased with the help of Russia and China and other nations, and that is deadly.”


Meanwhile, the KNU, an armed ethnic group that has control of the southeastern region of the country, says military air strikes have hit the district of Day Pu No in Papun, causing villagers to flee. They say communication with the region is proving challenging due to its remote location. According to the group, there are reports from villagers that 2 people have died and 2 are injured, but the KNU says there could be more casualties.

The KNU signed a ceasefire agreement in 2015, but that may well be in tatters since the February 1 military coup that ousted the democratically elected civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The Burmese military have attempted to justify their actions with allegations that last November’s election was fraudulent. The latest air strikes are the most significant attack in the region in recent years.



Thousands of displaced Burmese flee to Thailand following military air strikes | Thaiger

And in the end this is the way the COVID pandemic insinuates itself into the Thai social fabric using the Burmese vector and to date scarcely a single ordinary Thai or resident farang has been vaccinated.

Given the multiplying strains now proliferating in the world the future is not promising at all.