The Nation (19-8-99)

[mandalay@xxxxxxxxxx]

Burma closes northern crossing
CHIANG MAI -- Burmese authorities have abruptly closed a northern border
crossing that link's Mae Ai district to a Shan village in Pong Pakhem in
Burma's Shan State, army and district officials said yesterday. 
''The move came as a surprise and without any explanation from the Burmese
authorities,'' said Maj-Gen Chamlong Phothong, chief-of-staff for the Army's
3rd Region. 
Arkhom Thuladilok, Chiang Dao's district chief, told reporters yesterday that
vehicles were prohibited to go through the Kiw Phawok checkpoint, but local
residents can cross on a day pass to shop at a local market. 
Burma's Pong Pakhem village is home to about 200 Shan families while residents
of Thailand's Kiw Phawok are mostly ethnic Chinese. 
The closure is likely to affect scores of Burmese wholesalers, all of whom buy
goods from Thai merchants and distribute them to villages and cities in the
area which is dominated by ethnic Shans. 
Thai officials believe yesterday's move may be in retaliation for the closure
of the Baan Son Thon Doo temporary crossing point, which links the Mae Ai
district to an area under the control of the United Wa State Army (UWSA). 
UWSA is one of the world's largest armed drug trafficking groups and a number
of its leaders have been charged with drug trafficking by an American court. 
Baan Son Thon Doo, also in Mae Ai district, was shut down last week by the
National Security Council as part of measures to curb the flow of illicit
drugs
from entering the country. 
Yesterday's move came just days before Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan is to
meet his counterpart in Rangoon at the 5th Thai-Burma Joint Commission. 
Foreign Ministry spokesman Don Pamudwinai said both sides will discuss how to
deal with tens of thousands of displaced Burmese living along the border as
well as thousands of Burmese illegal immigrants working in Thailand. 
''We believe that Burma's strong cooperation in suppression of narcotics and
illegal immigrants will bring about order along the border and close
relations,'' the spokesman said. 
The meeting will start on April 23 for senior officials and April 24-25 for
the
ministerial level. It will be co-chaired by Surin and his Burmese counterpart,
U Win Aung. 
Don added that the joint commission will also raise concerns on the smuggling
of vehicles from Thailand to Burma through the border. The number of smuggled
vehicles to Burma has decreased by about 30 per cent as the Burmese have
imposed harsher penalties on vehicles smuggled from Thailand. 
Meanwhile, an informed source said that the Thailand will propose that
additional border coordination units be established to keep order along the
border. 
The proposed locations will be in Chiang Rai, either at Chiang Dao or Wieng
Hang districts, and at Singkorn pass in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Klong Wan
district. 
Referring to the smuggling of vehicles, the source said Thailand expected both
countries to sign a cooperation agreement to curb illegal activities. A
similar
agreement has been signed with Cambodia. 
Moreover, Bangkok will raise its grave concerns on the opening of three
casinos
on the Burmese side along the border that they could be sources of illegal
activities and crimes. 
The source said that Bangkok wishes to see a pass at the Three Pagodas in
Kanchanaburi province be upgraded to promote tourism and trade. 
Referring to repeated conflicts at sea, the source said that Rangoon has not
yet adopted the agreement that fishing boats would not be armed. 
''So we expect to raise the issue with Burma at the joint commission
meeting,''
the source said. 
Spokesman Don said the two countries will sign a visa-free agreement for
diplomatic and official passports as well as cultural agreements at the
meeting. 
The Nation
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