Bangkok Post(27/8/99)

[mandalay@xxxxxxxxxx]

Workers riot
Tak-Protesting Burmese workers damaged vehicles and property at a knitwear
factory in Mae Sot district after one of their colleagues was hurt by a
company
security guard.
The riot occurred at about 6pm on Wednesday after 14 employees of Fhu Po
Knitting 1999 Thailand got drunk and refused to work a night shift when asked
by security guards, police said.
During a scuffle one of the workers, Mee Sha Moo, 27, was injured. In
reprisal,
his friends damaged four motorcycles, shattered the windshields of four
company
pick-up trucks and smashed 50 glass windows in the building factory.
About 200 employees doing overtime stopped work and joined a subsequent
protest
which attracted about 800 workers altogether.
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Smugglers held
Three Burmese vessels carrying contraband worth 300,000 baht were seized and
their owners arrested at Myawaddy, opposite Mae Sot district, yesterday.
The seizure came after Rangoon ordered the closure of 10 river ports,
including
Myawaddy, in an effort to stop junta opponents entering Burma for a Sept 9
protest.
However, a permanent border checkpoint on the Thai-Burmese Friendship
Bridge in
Mae Sot remains open.
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Surin wins release of Thais being held for illegal entry
Bhanravee Tansubhapol
Burma has agreed to the unconditional release of all Thais detained in the
country, following a request by Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan.
The decision will mean freedom for 53 Thais, detained mainly on illegal entry
and fishing charges, the Thai embassy in Rangoon said.
Nyunt Maung Shein, director-general of Burma's political department, informed
Thai ambassador Pensak Chalarak of the decision yesterday.
Mr Surin welcomed it as a sign of "growth and new direction in inter-Asean
relations", a foreign ministry spokesman said. The minister approached all
Asean members to consider an amnesty for Thai prisoners to mark His Majesty
the
King's 72nd birthday. Thailand also hopes to conclude agreements on prisoner
transfers with other Asean states.
In Thailand, Burmese make up the largest group of prisoners from Southeast
Asian countries.
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Chuan applauds improved cooperation with Burma
The prime minister yesterday claimed increased border cooperation with
Burma had
led to a more effective drug suppression drive.
Chuan Leekpai said he was also satisfied with Burma's increased input in
resolving drug trafficking along the border. He had just sent a letter to Gen
Than Shwe, his Burmese counterpart, emphasising the need for even closer
cooperation to tackle narcotic problems. Jurin Laksanavisit, the PM's Office
minister who supervises the Narcotics Control Board, said drug fugitive Bang
Ron, or Surachai Ngernthongfu, is still under the protection of Burmese
minority groups along the border area.
Premsak Piayura, an opposition MP, used this statement to question the
government's ability to tackle border trafficking problems. He said the
government had failed to arrest Bang Ron, who reportedly escaped after police
seized 750,000 methamphetamine pills at his Nong Chok residence. Mr Jurin
replied that Bang Ron's assets worth 8.5 million baht had been seized and
these
would go to the drug prevention fund if he remained a fugitive.
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