Bangkok Post (6/5/99)

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<center><bold>BURMA BORDER

</bold>

</center>Problem passes likely to be closed 


The Interior Ministry is to ask the National Security Council to close
troubled border passes with Burma.


Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart revealed the plan yesterday when
asked to comment on a recent attack on Nam Piang Din police station in
Mae Hong Son last Saturday.


He said any border passes that may lead to conflicts with neighbouring
countries should be closed.


Meanwhile, deputy national police chief Pol Gen Prasarn Wongyai said in
Mae Hong Son yesterday that the attack might have been caused by border
patrol police.


Pol Gen Prasarn said that on February 27 five Burmese troops led by a
captain came over to meet the Thai border patrol police and asked them to
turn a blind eye to illegal cross-border trade but their request was
rejected.


On the way back, the Burmese captain stepped on a land mine on the Thai
side of the border and lost a leg in the explosion.


This led him to believe that the attack might have been an act of revenge
by the Burmese troops, Pol Gen Prasarn said.


Police are also to determine whether the attack was the work of drug
dealers.

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