ˇˇˇˇYANGON, June 20 (Xinhuanet) -- The official newspaper The New Light of Myanmar carried
an article on Thursday attacking Thailand, saying that it is impossible to
maintain good-neighborly relations with that country.
ˇˇˇˇ"We can never accept Yodaya (Thailand) as a good neighbor as long as it is
practicing the policy of self-interest," said the article titled "Existence of
Insurgents Benefits Yodaya".
ˇˇˇˇSince the outbreak of Myanmar-Thailand border clashes last month, the
Myanmar authorities calls Thailand as Yodaya as a warning for Yodaya is
historically the former Thai capital which Myanmar forces captured and destroyed
in 1767.
ˇˇˇˇThe article blamed Thailand for allowing refugees into its territory along
the border with Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, out ofwhich, it said, Thailand is
enjoying three kinds of benefits.
ˇˇˇˇThe benefits, which the article charged, include the creation of a buffer
zone by accepting "insurgents" under the pretext of refugees, using family
members of them and other villagers forcefully taken as human shield in the
zones.
ˇˇˇˇOther benefits, it said, are that Thailand earned income from the refugee
aids provided by non-governmental organizations and that Thai businessmen are
able to exploit the labor of the refugees at low wages.
ˇˇˇˇThe article went on to blame that Thailand is always enjoying atrade
surplus with its exports to Myanmar triple the amount of imports from Myanmar,
attributing the imbalance to illegal trade on account of the existence of
"insurgents".
ˇˇˇˇOn May 20, there occurred Myanmar-Thai border clashes resultingfrom attacks
made by Myanmar's anti-government ethnic Shan United Revolutionary Army (SURA)
on four government outposts on the Myanmar side.
ˇˇˇˇMyanmar charged the attacks with being launched under the coverof Thai
army's artillery barrage. But the Thai side denied its involvement, saying that
Thai troops fired warning shots after strong shells from fighting within the
Myanmar territory fell on Thai soil.
ˇˇˇˇAfter the four outposts were fallen to the SURA on May 21, the Myanmar
government started on June 6 launching offensive against the SURA, aiming at
recapturing the four lost outposts.
ˇˇˇˇMeanwhile, Myanmar has held a series of mass rallies so far in 10 areas in
the country since the beginning of this month to condemn Thailand's backing of
the SURA.
ˇˇˇˇMyanmar has unilaterally closed all its three major border points --
Tachilek, Myawaddy and Kawthoung, expelled at least 500 Thai workers, banned
official entry visa to the Thai side, prohibited all Myanmar private journals to
carry Thai articles andadvertisement, and stopped buying electricity from
Thailand for supplying its two border towns of Tachilek and Myawaddy.
ˇˇˇˇTo solve the border conflicts, Thailand is trying to contact the Myanmar
side to bring about a high-level negotiation, but so far, there is no response
yet from the Myanmar side. Enditem
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