[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Government vows to step up security (r)



<html>
<div align="center">
<br>
<font size=5>Government vows to step up security<br>
</font><font size=3><b>Sanan dismisses conspiracy theories<br>
</b>The government has pledged to step up protection at all foreign
missions to allay security fears in the wake of the Burmese embassy
siege. <br>
Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said Burma's call for reinforced security
surveillance was being attended to and that extra protection would be
mounted at other foreign missions as well.<br>
Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart said police would increase their
presence outside the embassies while inside, the individual missions were
responsible for arranging their own safety measures.<br>
Mr Surin denied Rangoon had expressed displeasure at the government's
decision to provide free passage for the hostage-takers as a way to
resolve the crisis.<br>
Mr Surin said his Burmese counterpart Win Aung who inspected the embassy
on Monday, was glad the incident was resolved peacefully.<br>
Win Aung, however, urged the Thai government to tighten security at the
Burmese embassy and said the incidence had hurt the morale of his
country's diplomats here.<br>
The Interior Ministry would now review security procedures at Maneeloy
Holding Centre for Burmese refugees in Ratchaburi, said to be a shelter
for anti-Rangoon elements.<br>
Maj-Gen Sanan said two of the hostage-takers were from the Maneeloy
centre while the rest were outsiders. Movements of Burmese students at
the centre and their visitors would be monitored, he said.<br>
Maj-Gen Sanan said students who illegally entered the country would face
a crackdown and deported while asylum seekers would be housed at the
centre, where authorities could keep a close watch.<br>
The interior minister bluntly dismissed the New Aspiration Party's
accusation that the government had paid the gunmen $1 million (40 million
baht) to abort the siege.<br>
The briefcase seen being handed over to the hostage-takers at the embassy
gate contained nothing but a mobile phone, a phone directory, and some
clothes, and was being returned to them after it was earlier seized by
the authorities.<br>
He also denied the &quot;conspiracy theory&quot; that students had
colluded with foreigners in taking control of the embassy<br>
<br>
</div>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
<br>
</font><font size=6><b>Junta media sees ?conspiracy?<br>
<br>
</font></b><font size=5>Ministry quashes ransom accusation<br>
</font><font size=3><i>Rangoon, dpa<br>
</i>The state-run media in Burma suggested yesterday the takeover of its
embassy in Bangkok last weekend was a &quot;conspiracy&quot; involving
Thai players<br>
?The drama was fishy to say the least and stank of conspiracy employing
profanity to embarrass the government here,? said a commentary in the
government-controlled <i>New Light of Myanmar </i>daily.<br>
Last Friday, five gunmen stormed the Bangkok mission, took 38 hostages at
gunpoint and held the embassy for 26 hours before making a dramatic
getaway to the Thai-Burmese border in a helicopter provided by Thai
authorities on Saturday.<br>
?From beginning to end it was played out according to a scenario
pre-planned,? said the newspaper.<br>
It noted the Burmese dissidents ?did not have to overpower the Thai
security guards posted at the gate of the complex? and that the ?Thai
gatekeepers were the first to be relieved?.<br>
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry yesterday insisted the embassy drama had
not undermined Thai-Burmese relations.<br>
The ministry also declined to comment on a Burmese statement critical of
the interior minister, saying it came from a military think-tank and not
the Burmese government.<br>
As for the black bag said by members of the opposition to have contained
US$1 million given to the hostage-takers, the ministry spokesman said the
bag had been seized by police from a Burmese student outside the embassy,
and contained only a Burmese flag,card-phone, head-band, a notebooksand
other personal effects.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</font>
<BR>
</html>