Reuters-Myanmar leader may receive

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Subject: Reuters-Myanmar leader may receive lukewarm Thai welcome

Myanmar leader may receive lukewarm Thai welcome
02:35 a.m. Mar 07, 1999 Eastern
By David Brunnstrom

BANGKOK, March 7 (Reuters) - The head of Myanmar's military government,
Senior General Than Shwe, on Monday will become the first of the country's
leaders to visit Thailand since Myanmar troops crushed a democracy uprising
a decade ago.

He can expect some tough talk from Myanmar's western neighbour.

Thailand wants action to stem a flood of heroin and amphetamines from
Myanmar and a resolution of a simmering maritime row that has claimed
several lives.

Some Thai newspapers have already removed their gloves.

``General Than Shwe's country is a drug producer, pusher to the youth of
Thailand,'' the Bangkok Post said on Sunday.

``It is the most undemocratic nation in ASEAN and neither supports not even
truly approves of our twin efforts to clean up our drug problem and develop
our democracy.''

It urged Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai to be ``frank'' with Than Shwe.

While all the smiles and handshakes of international diplomacy can be
expected, Thailand has made clear it intends to take a strong line on drugs.

With Cambodia at peace, Thai political and military leaders have declared
drug trafficking the single biggest threat to national security.

``Thailand is largely unimpressed with the Burmese commitment to cleaning up
its severe drugs trafficking problem,'' the Post said. ``The cozy
relationships between the world's biggest drug dealers and Than Shwe's
regime grow more evident by the day.''

In private, Thai officials find it increasingly difficult to disguise their
distaste for Myanmar's style of government.

But they say that as a neighbour and a fellow member of ASEAN (the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Thailand has to maintain workable
ties.

The European Union and the United States have no such imperative and ban
entry by Myanmar's leaders because of their failure to democratise and
Yangon's poor human rights record.

While over the years Thailand has been diplomatic and more tolerant -- and,
critics say, often opportunistic -- in its dealings with Myanmar, it's

patience has been tested.

Apart from drugs and border disputes, it has had the unenviable task of
attempting to mediate a row caused by Europe's refusal to accept Myanmar's
foreign minister at an EU-ASEAN ministerial conference next month.

Yangon has stood its ground and insisted on its right to attend, and the
meeting now appears unlikely to take place.

Myanmar insists that it is putting significant effort into the fight against
drugs despite a lack of outside assistance.

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said during a visit to Thailand
last week that Myanmar could do a better job and criticised the generals for
protecting drug lords.

Chuan and Than Shwe will meet in Chiang Rai, a northern town chosen by
Thailand for its proximity to the ``Golden Triangle'' opium growing area
formed by its borders with Myanmar and Laos.

Than Shwe's 40-strong party is expected to include powerful intelligence
chief Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, Foreign Minister Win Aung and Interior
Minister Colonel Tin Hlaing.