Thailand’s Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara has sent messages to Myanmar’s military regime in Naypyidaw to the reduce violence on Friday, adding that preparations were underway for an influx of people crossing from Myawaddy Township, at the Thai-Myanmar border, after the border town and vital trade hub in Karen State was seized by anti-military resistance forces on Thursday.

“What we are concerned about the most is we want to see peace in Myawaddy,” said Parnpree at a press conference in Thailand’s Tak Province, following a visit to Mae Sot, which lies across the river from Myawaddy in Myanmar.

Thailand states that it is working with its fellow members in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to follow the Five Point Consensus, which was adopted in April 2021 to cease violence in Myanmar. But it was never implemented by military coup leader Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the regime in Naypyidaw.

Parnpree added that Thailand was considering alternative trade routes in case of road closures caused by the fighting. A steady stream of people, some fearing airstrikes, queued at the Myawaddy-Mae Sot border crossing to flee Myanmar into Thailand on Friday. Thailand said it would take in 100,000 refugees, temporarily, from Myanmar on Tuesday.

Myawaddy Township came under the control of the Karen National Union (KNU) as its armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), and its allied People’s Defense Force (PDF), seized the remaining military outpost on Thursday, forcing 200 military personnel to flee to Thailand.

REUTERS