FROM THE DVB NEWSROOM
Burma nationals arrested for illegal entry into Thailand
Thai authorities told local media that 65 Burma nationals were arrested for illegal entry near Vajiralongkorn dam in Thong Pha Phum district, Kanchanaburi Province on Saturday. Police made the arrests after being alerted by residents that migrants were near the dam.
Thirteen of them were apprehended on a boat. Two Burma nationals who drove the boat confessed to police they were transporting 13 Burma nationals for 300 Thai baht ($8 USD) each. The 13 claimed that they paid brokers 15,000 Thai baht ($404 USD) to obtain jobs in Thailand.
Forty-eight other Burma nationals hiding near the dam were also arrested. They said they crossed the border on foot and were arrested while waiting to be transported to their final destination. Migration from Burma to Thailand has surged since the military activated its conscription law on Feb. 10.
Royal Thai Navy on standby to evacuate its nationals
The Royal Thai Navy stated that it is prepared to evacuate its nationals in Burma by boat if fighting between the military and resistance forces continues to escalate along Thai-Burma border, the Bangkok Post reported. Four naval ships stationed in the Andaman Sea are ready for possible evacuations.
Fighting between the military and resistance forces has spread from the vital border trade town of Myawaddy in Karen State further south to Dawei in Tanintharyi Region. A military base in Dawei Township was seized by resistance forces and set on fire Sunday.
Thailand said that it is prepared to accept up to 100,000 refugees from Burma temporarily. Up to 4,000 crossed from Myawaddy to Mae Sot during fighting between the military and resistance forces allied with the Karen National Union (KNU) from April 11-19, but returned when fighting subsided last week.
Thailand’s Foreign Minister resigns
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Monday that a new foreign minister has been selected to replace Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara, who resigned from his post on April 28. No replacement was announced but Srettha assured Thais that it will be someone with extensive foreign policy experience from his Pheu Thai Party.
Parnpree resigned as Minister of Foreign Affairs after he was removed from his post as Deputy-Prime Minister in a cabinet reshuffle. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Parnpree launched a pilot humanitarian aid delivery into Burma on March 25 and vowed to help broker talks between the military and resistance groups nationwide.
“I would like to acknowledge his leadership in providing humanitarian assistance and support for wider engagement. I hope the government of Thailand and the new foreign minister will engage and collaborate with us and ethnic partners to solve the crisis in Myanmar,” said Kyaw Zaw, the spokesperson for the National Unity Government (NUG).
News by Region
ARAKAN—Residents from Yecauk village in Thandwe Township claimed that the Burma Army has used 50 civilians as human shields during fighting with the Arakan Army (AA) near Tha Htay Chaung hydro power project on Sunday. “The military used its navy, air force and artillery to assist the fighting,” said a Thandwe resident. Nearly 10,000 villagers have been displaced in the township since fighting began on April 13.
AYEYARWADY—Eighteen prisoners, including five political prisoners, at Pyapon Prison were sentenced to an additional six months on Friday for allegedly causing riots. Inmates stated that they were demanding an answer from prison staff over why a political prisoner was beaten. “All eighteen prisoners are being moved to solitary confinement,” said an anonymous source close to Pyapon Prison. At least 20 prisoners were injured during a crackdown against them by prison staff on March 31.
CHINLAND—One civilian was killed and two others were injured by airstrikes carried out on Lundon village of Kanpetlet Township on Sunday. Three homes and a village clinic were destroyed. “Two fighter jets dropped three bombs in and around the village. There is no fighting and the People’s Defense Force is not in the village,” said a spokesperson of the Kanpetlet Township People’s Administration, a governing body administered by resistance groups.
KACHIN—Resistance forces led by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA/KIO) seized control of a Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 141 outpost near Hsinbo town of Myitkyina Township on Monday. “We cleared the outpost in the morning. We have been surrounding the outpost for two months,” said an anonymous source close to the KIA. Burma Army personnel were killed when military aircraft mistakenly bombed the base over the weekend before the KIA took control of it.
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