BANGKOK, March 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Seven Thai villagers including a
pregnant woman had been sentenced to five years in jail by Myanmar
court on charge of illegally cutting trees, a military source said
Monday.
   Phadesh Chaiman, deputy military commander of the special
military unit 11, said that on December 6 last year, the seven
villagers and three other Karen villagers were arrested by Myanmar
soldiers at a military base opposite Prachuapkirikhan province,
280 kilometers south from Bangkok.
   At that time, the Myanmar soldiers also captured cutting
equipment, a weapon and some logs, Phadesh said.
   Last Friday, the Myanmar authorities attending the joint Thai-
Myanmar border committee told Thai delegation that those villagers
were accused of illegally cutting trees in the Myanmar Kaosendal
mountain forest and had been sentenced in jail for five years by
the court of Madrid City.
   According to the source, Thai Foreign Affair Ministry would
contact the Myanmar side to help those jailed villagers
immediately.  Enditem