ID :
149290
Tue, 11/09/2010 - 20:32
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http://m.oananews.org//node/149290
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Myanmar people at Mae Sot returning home
MAE SOT, Nov 9 - Myanmar people who fled into Thai territory at Mae Sot district during clashes beginning Sunday between an armed Buddhist Karen ethnic group and Myanmar government troops began to return to their homeland as the situation returned to normal on Tuesday.
Pol Maj Rinnawat Phuwattanatikarn, commander of Thailand’s 346th Border Police Company, said some 15,000 Myanmar people have sought shelter in the unit's compound after fighting between Myanmar armed forces and a faction of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) in the Myanmar border town of Myawaddy on Sunday.
Maj Rinnawat said, while monitoring the situation throughout the night, gunfire was no longer heard and the situation returned to normal. Most Myanmar people decided to return to their homeland in the afternoon, while some 500 of them remain at the company's compound awaiting confirmation on the situation.
The Thai commander also confirmed rocket propelled grenades fired from Myanmar fell into the Thai territory, injuring three Thais and four Myanmar people. All were now in safe condition and hospitalised at Mae Sot Hospital.
Meanwhile, in another Thai province adjacent to Myanmar border, Maj Gen Udomdej Sitabutr, commander of army region 1, inspected the army operation along the Thai-Myanmar border at Kanchanaburi's Sangklaburi district.
As M-79 grenades landed on the Thai side at Sangklaburi district, the Kanchanaburi authorities on Tuesday announced the district as a danger zone from the fighting, while more Myanmar people continued streaming into Thailand via Three Pagodas-Sangklaburi route.
Ninth Infantry Regiment commander Maj-Gen Tawan Ruangsri reported to Gen Udomdej that the Thai border police, army rangers, soldiers from the Surasee Force have closely monitored the situation and that they have coordinated with their Myanmar counterpart to assure that no armed force is allowed to intrude into Thai territory.
The Thai army report said one person was killed, while seven local residents and two monks were wounded as shells fell into the Sangklaburi border area.
Sangklaburi district chief Chamras Kangnoi said the district will use its emergency budget to help some three thousand Myanmar people who crossed the border to seek shelter here.
Mr Chamras said scores of Myanmar people returned to their homeland Tuesday morning after the situation eased but then they returned to Sangklaburi again after gunfire was heard from Myanmar territory.
The district chief said Myanmar people who work in the Thai companies are staying at their factories, while another 1,600 people are at Baan Pra Chedi School.
Mr Chamras said the local authorities are now able to handle with the current amount of Myanmar people and an additional plan has been prepared in case more people will flee into Thailand.
The Thai military will prevent any intrusion into the Thai soil, while other concerned agencies are supervising the well-being of the people who escaped from the fighting zones, said Mr Chamras, adding that the district can use its emergency funds for the operation. (MCOT online news)
Pol Maj Rinnawat Phuwattanatikarn, commander of Thailand’s 346th Border Police Company, said some 15,000 Myanmar people have sought shelter in the unit's compound after fighting between Myanmar armed forces and a faction of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) in the Myanmar border town of Myawaddy on Sunday.
Maj Rinnawat said, while monitoring the situation throughout the night, gunfire was no longer heard and the situation returned to normal. Most Myanmar people decided to return to their homeland in the afternoon, while some 500 of them remain at the company's compound awaiting confirmation on the situation.
The Thai commander also confirmed rocket propelled grenades fired from Myanmar fell into the Thai territory, injuring three Thais and four Myanmar people. All were now in safe condition and hospitalised at Mae Sot Hospital.
Meanwhile, in another Thai province adjacent to Myanmar border, Maj Gen Udomdej Sitabutr, commander of army region 1, inspected the army operation along the Thai-Myanmar border at Kanchanaburi's Sangklaburi district.
As M-79 grenades landed on the Thai side at Sangklaburi district, the Kanchanaburi authorities on Tuesday announced the district as a danger zone from the fighting, while more Myanmar people continued streaming into Thailand via Three Pagodas-Sangklaburi route.
Ninth Infantry Regiment commander Maj-Gen Tawan Ruangsri reported to Gen Udomdej that the Thai border police, army rangers, soldiers from the Surasee Force have closely monitored the situation and that they have coordinated with their Myanmar counterpart to assure that no armed force is allowed to intrude into Thai territory.
The Thai army report said one person was killed, while seven local residents and two monks were wounded as shells fell into the Sangklaburi border area.
Sangklaburi district chief Chamras Kangnoi said the district will use its emergency budget to help some three thousand Myanmar people who crossed the border to seek shelter here.
Mr Chamras said scores of Myanmar people returned to their homeland Tuesday morning after the situation eased but then they returned to Sangklaburi again after gunfire was heard from Myanmar territory.
The district chief said Myanmar people who work in the Thai companies are staying at their factories, while another 1,600 people are at Baan Pra Chedi School.
Mr Chamras said the local authorities are now able to handle with the current amount of Myanmar people and an additional plan has been prepared in case more people will flee into Thailand.
The Thai military will prevent any intrusion into the Thai soil, while other concerned agencies are supervising the well-being of the people who escaped from the fighting zones, said Mr Chamras, adding that the district can use its emergency funds for the operation. (MCOT online news)
