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Bkk Post - Kachadpai rules out thre



Reply-To: "TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Bkk Post - Kachadpai rules out threat of camp attack

Bangkok Post -OCT - 22, 1999.
THAI-BURMESE RELATIONS

Kachadpai rules out threat of camp attack
B5m offer for arrest of embassy raiders

Yuwadee Tunyasiri

The national security chief yesterday brushed aside reports that Burma would
soon attack the Maneeloy holding centre in Ratchaburi which it believed to
be an arms training base for Burmese student exiles in Thailand.

Kachadpai Burusphat, secretary-general of the National Security Council,
said that if such reports had grounds, he would have been informed by border
intelligence units already.

Since Thai-Burmese military relations remained normal, there was no reason
for Burmese troops to violate Thailand's sovereignty.

The NSC chief also played down concern that border clashes could be sparked
by a five-million-baht reward offered by a group of Thai fishing operators
in Ranong for the capture of the five Burmese students who seized the
Burmese embassy in Bangkok on Oct 1.

Thailand's release of the five after they agreed to free all hostages has
angered Burma, which retaliated by closing its border passes and revoking
fishing concessions granted to Thai trawlers.

The reward was offered in the hope that Burma would allow Thai fishermen
back into its waters after the five students were captured and handed over
to Rangoon.

The five were believed to have sought refuge with an anti-Rangoon Karen
rebel group. However, Mr Kachadpai said yesterday it would not be easy to
locate them.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs and Interior ministries were co-ordinating
with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to work out a
third-country resettlement programme for Burmese student exiles in Thailand,
the NSC chief said.

He added so far the United States, Canada, Australia and some European
countries have expressed interest in accepting the students.

If all went well, he added, it was likely all 3,000 Burmese students at the
Maneeloy centre would be taken.

Some 1,000 Burmese student exiles in Bangkok were required to register with
the UNHCR by yesterday. Mr Kachadpai said newcomers would from now on be
arrested and charged with illegal entry.

He added the NSC would keep a close watch on NGOs suspected of supporting
political movements of Burmese students in Thailand.