Before anyone tells me this topic doesn't belong on the Thailand forum, since those fleeing are trying to flee into Thailand, I think that makes it relevant for this forum. I hope they overthrow that evil regime - and don't end up trading that one for another one.
Personally I think it is beyond absurd that here we are in 2024, yet we still have wars, evil regimes and dictators, innocent people being killed, maimed, tortured, forced to become refugees, and losing everything about their lives, along with racial and religious hatred, xenophobia, and finding all kinds of more reasons to hate. Is this ever going to stop or is this nonsense going to eventually cause humans to be responsible for their own extinction?
"God made the ocean
God made the sky
God made the people
God knows why"
- Lee Marvin (Ben Rumson), 'Paint Your Wagon'
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Activity on border after Myanmar regime’s defeat by army groups
by THE NATION
April 9, 2024
Attention has been focused on the Mae Sot border, which connects Thailand and Myanmar, after authorities in the Myanmar government asked to land in the area after its recent defeat by anti-government army groups.
According to multiple reports by Thai-language media, Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked for permission from Thailand to land an ATR 72-600 plane in Mae Sot district, Tak province, on Sunday.
The request was reportedly filed so as to pick up its officials, together with their families, who may have fled from Myawaddy after the defeat of the military government’s troops in the area by revolutionary groups, including the Karen National Union (KNU) and the People's Defence Force.
Those fleeing were reported to have tried to enter Thailand through the Thai–Myanmar Friendship Bridge. However, they later surrendered to anti-government groups. Most of them are police officers, immigration officers, and court officials.
Reports showed that the plane arrived in Mae Sot at around 9pm on Sunday and stayed for an hour before flying back as no refugees showed up. They were believed to be still in the custody of the groups’ troops.
Contradicting media reports, Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Jakkapong Sangmanee on Monday said the Myanmar plane flew to Thailand only to transport goods, not to evacuate fleeing citizens.
Meanwhile, MP Kannavee Suebsang of the opposition Fair Party said on his Facebook page that Thailand should send surrendered Myanmar citizens back to their homeland as requested.
However, he said that if any individuals demanded not to be repatriated for security reasons, Thailand also has the authority to reject the request.
According to Kannavee, the number of people fleeing includes 469 surrendered Myanmar military soldiers, 67 officers, and 81 members of their families. They are all set to be sent back by Wednesday, he said.
Kannavee, who worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) before entering politics, urged the Thai government to impose a safety zone area within 5 kilometres from the Thai border as well as impose standard operating procedures (SOPs) in this regard to war refugees.
According to reports as of writing, the situation around the border is still peaceful; people were crossing borders as usual and no explosions or gunfire were heard.
https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asean/40037080
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Myanmar Opposition Seizes Myanmar’s Largest Military Base in Myawaddy Near Tak
By Kittisak Phalaharn
9 April, 2024
On April 7th, 2024, Burmese national media reported that the Karen National Union (KNU) and the People’s Defence Force (PDF) seized Myanmar’s largest military base in Myawaddy, Myanmar. The armed conflict took place near Mae Sot, Tak, during the past week.
According to Burmese national media, there were seven Myanmar military bases and a tactical headquarters seized and many people were killed and injured in the war between the Myanmar opposition including KNU and PDF, and the Myanmar Junta.
Meanwhile, Myanmar soldiers from Battalion Camp 275 in Myawaddy surrendered and Myanmar’s largest military base was currently under occupation by the Myanmar opposition. Burmese national media reported that the national flag would be turned into the KNU flag.
According to Burmese national media, the Myanmar military units could not combat against the opposition. The only remaining military base was Battalion Camp 375 in Myawaddy. However, Thailand would be potentially affected as the Battalion camp was located near the Thai border. Many Myanmar nationals would likely seek refuge in Thailand as a result.
From the serious situation in Myanmar, many Myanmar junta officials under the jurisdiction of the Myanmar Military Administration Council including Myawaddy Customs and Immigration officials withdrew from Myawaddy and evacuated to Kawkareik, Myanmar, according to Thai national media.
Recently, the Myanmar junta coordinated with the Thai government to request a landing from ATR72-600, a Myanmar military aircraft, at Tak Airport for Myanmar junta officials. As of press time, the refugees were on standby at Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge.
The Thai government publicly revealed that a flight from Myanmar landed at Mae Sot airport per a prior request. However, it was reported that the flight departed abroad on the same day.
The rest of the requested flights for April 8th and 9th were withdrawn, the Thai government did not reveal the reasons.
However, the Thai government would monitor the unsettled situation closely at the Thai-Myanmar border in case of emergency for the safety of the Thai people and to maintain peace and order. A meeting would be held at the Thai Government House on April 9th to evaluate the situation and propose guidelines accordingly.
https://tpnnational.com/2024/04/09/myan ... -near-tak/
Is the Myanmar junta in serious danger of being overthrown?
- Gaybutton
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Re: Is the Myanmar junta in serious danger of being overthrown?
Sounds like Myanmar's criminal government is about to be toppled...and can't come soon enough.
Congratulations the the Peoples Army and all their support forces throughout the nation for their relentless courage and personal sacrifices leading up to this.
Thailand should close it's northern border to all the government criminals attempting to flee from the People. What goes around comes around - and they deserve to be terminated on sight - the same way the military junta has been terminating the innocent people of Myanmar for the past decade.
Congratulations the the Peoples Army and all their support forces throughout the nation for their relentless courage and personal sacrifices leading up to this.
Thailand should close it's northern border to all the government criminals attempting to flee from the People. What goes around comes around - and they deserve to be terminated on sight - the same way the military junta has been terminating the innocent people of Myanmar for the past decade.
- Gaybutton
- Posts: 21667
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Re: Is the Myanmar junta in serious danger of being overthrown?
I agree. As far as I can tell this junta tortured and murdered a lot of people, installed severe repression, and improved absolutely nothing about Myanmar. They wanted to have the power and ability to control an entire nation for their own personal benefit. It reminds me of two certain European dictators who came to power nearly 100 years ago - and the same types of scum somehow manage to get themselves into power even today.
I've never been to Myanmar - and I think they ought to go back to calling it Burma - but if a decent government gets in, that's when I would consider a trip, but definitely not before.
Re: Is the Myanmar junta in serious danger of being overthrown?
The faster they get overthrown, the better.
I hope the Junta get hung drawn & quartered, although perhaps if the execution is that brutal, the next government might not be the best.
I've been to Burma twice. Once you've found them, some of the boys in Yangon are very good.
Before going again, I need to consider personal safety, insurance, convenience and ethics.
I put ethics last, as there's no point in wasting bandwidth thinking about it until the other 3 tests are passed.
I hope the Junta get hung drawn & quartered, although perhaps if the execution is that brutal, the next government might not be the best.
I've been to Burma twice. Once you've found them, some of the boys in Yangon are very good.
Before going again, I need to consider personal safety, insurance, convenience and ethics.
I put ethics last, as there's no point in wasting bandwidth thinking about it until the other 3 tests are passed.
- Gaybutton
- Posts: 21667
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
- Location: Thailand
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- Been thanked: 1334 times
Re: Is the Myanmar junta in serious danger of being overthrown?
I don't understand why Thailand would let these scumbags into the country in the first place. Why should Thailand be in the business of saving these "officials"? Why not give them a taste of their own medicine? Let them have to live on leaky, rotting boats with no shade, hardly any food or water, tattered clothes they have been wearing for weeks because they have nothing else, with no access to medical help, no sanitation, no relief from exposure to the elements. and their lives being nothing more than sheer trying to survive - just like they've done to the Rohingya.
I hope the good guys win.
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Myanmar Opposition Seizes Myanmar’s Largest Military Base in Myawaddy Near Tak
By Kittisak Phalaharn
9 April, 2024
On April 7th, 2024, Burmese national media reported that the Karen National Union (KNU) and the People’s Defence Force (PDF) seized Myanmar’s largest military base in Myawaddy, Myanmar. The armed conflict took place near Mae Sot, Tak, during the past week.
According to Burmese national media, there were seven Myanmar military bases and a tactical headquarters seized and many people were killed and injured in the war between the Myanmar opposition including KNU and PDF, and the Myanmar Junta.
Meanwhile, Myanmar soldiers from Battalion Camp 275 in Myawaddy surrendered and Myanmar’s largest military base was currently under occupation by the Myanmar opposition. Burmese national media reported that the national flag would be turned into the KNU flag.
According to Burmese national media, the Myanmar military units could not combat against the opposition. The only remaining military base was Battalion Camp 375 in Myawaddy. However, Thailand would be potentially affected as the Battalion camp was located near the Thai border. Many Myanmar nationals would likely seek refuge in Thailand as a result.
From the serious situation in Myanmar, many Myanmar junta officials under the jurisdiction of the Myanmar Military Administration Council including Myawaddy Customs and Immigration officials withdrew from Myawaddy and evacuated to Kawkareik, Myanmar, according to Thai national media.
Recently, the Myanmar junta coordinated with the Thai government to request a landing from ATR72-600, a Myanmar military aircraft, at Tak Airport for Myanmar junta officials. As of press time, the refugees were on standby at Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge.
The Thai government publicly revealed that a flight from Myanmar landed at Mae Sot airport per a prior request. However, it was reported that the flight departed abroad on the same day.
The rest of the requested flights for April 8th and 9th were withdrawn, the Thai government did not reveal the reasons.
However, the Thai government would monitor the unsettled situation closely at the Thai-Myanmar border in case of emergency for the safety of the Thai people and to maintain peace and order. A meeting would be held at the Thai Government House on April 9th to evaluate the situation and propose guidelines accordingly.
https://tpnnational.com/2024/04/09/myan ... -near-tak/
I hope the good guys win.
_____________________________________________________________________
Myanmar Opposition Seizes Myanmar’s Largest Military Base in Myawaddy Near Tak
By Kittisak Phalaharn
9 April, 2024
On April 7th, 2024, Burmese national media reported that the Karen National Union (KNU) and the People’s Defence Force (PDF) seized Myanmar’s largest military base in Myawaddy, Myanmar. The armed conflict took place near Mae Sot, Tak, during the past week.
According to Burmese national media, there were seven Myanmar military bases and a tactical headquarters seized and many people were killed and injured in the war between the Myanmar opposition including KNU and PDF, and the Myanmar Junta.
Meanwhile, Myanmar soldiers from Battalion Camp 275 in Myawaddy surrendered and Myanmar’s largest military base was currently under occupation by the Myanmar opposition. Burmese national media reported that the national flag would be turned into the KNU flag.
According to Burmese national media, the Myanmar military units could not combat against the opposition. The only remaining military base was Battalion Camp 375 in Myawaddy. However, Thailand would be potentially affected as the Battalion camp was located near the Thai border. Many Myanmar nationals would likely seek refuge in Thailand as a result.
From the serious situation in Myanmar, many Myanmar junta officials under the jurisdiction of the Myanmar Military Administration Council including Myawaddy Customs and Immigration officials withdrew from Myawaddy and evacuated to Kawkareik, Myanmar, according to Thai national media.
Recently, the Myanmar junta coordinated with the Thai government to request a landing from ATR72-600, a Myanmar military aircraft, at Tak Airport for Myanmar junta officials. As of press time, the refugees were on standby at Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge.
The Thai government publicly revealed that a flight from Myanmar landed at Mae Sot airport per a prior request. However, it was reported that the flight departed abroad on the same day.
The rest of the requested flights for April 8th and 9th were withdrawn, the Thai government did not reveal the reasons.
However, the Thai government would monitor the unsettled situation closely at the Thai-Myanmar border in case of emergency for the safety of the Thai people and to maintain peace and order. A meeting would be held at the Thai Government House on April 9th to evaluate the situation and propose guidelines accordingly.
https://tpnnational.com/2024/04/09/myan ... -near-tak/
Re: Is the Myanmar junta in serious danger of being overthrown?
As we know, Thailand is effectively controlled by the military.
They wrote the Thai constitution, which prevented the most popular leader from being elected and is dissolving his party.
So we can hardly expect them to oppose the dictatorship across their western border.
Re: Is the Myanmar junta in serious danger of being overthrown?
With all horrible things going on in Myanmar it amazes me that some guys working in Thailand still regularly cross the border and then return with apparent impunity.
One guy I’ve known since before the pandemic and who I am in regular contact with travels back to his home in Myanmar via the border at Maesai and then returns to Pattaya or more commonly now Bangkok.
Not only does he post all about it on Facebook (I’ve blanked his face) but even posts photos of his travel documents etc. So he’s obviously not worried about any travel problems he might have.
I have visited Myanmar once but it years ago. In those days you could use the Maesai crossing and put a few dollars in your Passport. The border official would pocket the dollars and wave you through. I certainly wouldn’t do that now!
![Image](https://i.postimg.cc/Kc0fbGQJ/Maesai-01.jpg)
One guy I’ve known since before the pandemic and who I am in regular contact with travels back to his home in Myanmar via the border at Maesai and then returns to Pattaya or more commonly now Bangkok.
Not only does he post all about it on Facebook (I’ve blanked his face) but even posts photos of his travel documents etc. So he’s obviously not worried about any travel problems he might have.
I have visited Myanmar once but it years ago. In those days you could use the Maesai crossing and put a few dollars in your Passport. The border official would pocket the dollars and wave you through. I certainly wouldn’t do that now!
![Image](https://i.postimg.cc/Kc0fbGQJ/Maesai-01.jpg)