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NEWS - Army, merchants oppose bribi



Subject: NEWS - Army, merchants oppose bribing junta to open border

THE NATION - October 17, 1999

Army, merchants oppose bribing junta to open border

THE Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce and the Army yesterday strongly
objected
to the idea of paying off Burmese generals to get them to re-open the
borders and restore cross-border trade on grounds that the move could
set an
unwanted precedent.

The issue can only be resolved through negotiations between Bangkok and
Rangoon, they said.

Rachan Weraphan, president of the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce, said a
group of northern businesses in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces have
so
far collected nearly Bt10 million for the payoff.

Similar efforts are being carried out by Thai exporters in another
border
town in Tak province, said a senior military officer from the 3rd Army
Region.

The Army is against the idea because the dispute is too complex for the
private sector or the military to handle, said the general speaking on
condition of anonymity.

A solution could only be worked out between the two governments, he
said.

The idea of giving money in exchange for opening the border checkpoints
is
short-sighted and does not address the heart of the problem, he said.

Thailand's private sector has taken up such measures in the past and it
did
nothing to change the attitude of the ruling junta on using the border
closing as a leverage whenever they wanted to get back at Thailand, he
said.

''If they are a real friend as they say, such measures should have never
been taken,'' he said. ''They are just too demanding.''

Rachan said it just was a matter of time before the junta re-opens the
border, saying the Burmese people are suffering tremendously as the cost
of
household goods and other commodities has gone up dramatically since the
border was ordered shut.

According to the officer, Burmese private sector firms lying opposite
from
Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district in Muaywadee have asked the Thai
authorities
for shipments of household goods but officials have urged them to take
up
the matter with Rangoon.

''After all, it's their government which has closed the border,'' the
Army
officer said.

The Army officer said there has been growing resentment against the
government since the closure of the San Thon Du checkpoint, linking
Chiang
Mai's Mae Ai district to a Wa-controlled area in Mong Yawn where massive
infrastructure projects are being carried out.

Thai construction companies who received concessions from the United Wa
State Army said the closing of San Thon Du has made it more costly for
them
to do business in the area.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Kornpoj Asawinanwijit said cross-border
trade
between Thailand and Burma is relatively small, accounting for no more
than
Bt30 million per day. However, the fisheries industry stands to suffer
the
most as a number of Thai fishing companies were operating in Burmese
waters
before Rangoon closed the border and cancelled all the concessions.

Kornpoj said the ministry is negotiating with foreign governments to
grant
or increase the number of concessions to Thai fishermen. India,
Bangladesh
and South Africa are among the countries, he said.

Government Spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart said if Thailand and Burma
failed to
normalise their relationship before the Asean ministerial meeting in
November, the issue would be raised in the talks.