The Nation - Gamblers to be charged

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Subject: The Nation - Gamblers to be charged soon over illegal entry

The Nation - Oct 25, 1999.
Headlines
Gamblers to be charged soon over illegal entry

THIRTY-ONE Thai gamblers being held in Burma would be charged within days
for allegedly violating immigration laws, officials said yesterday.

The men were among a group of more than 70 Thais who were arrested on Friday
after allegedly crossing illegally from southern Ranong province into Burma
to gamble at a casino.

Boworn Promkaew-ngam, chief of the Coordination Centre for Fisheries along
the Thai-Burmese border, said the 31 could be charged with illegal entry and
illegal gambling. He said they were being held in Burma's Kaw Song province.

Illegal entry carried a sentence of up to 10 years' imprisonment and fines
of up to 500,000 kyats (about Bt50,000).

Boworn said Thai authorities had been trying in vain to contact counterparts
on the other side of the border.

He said there had been no reply over the past few days to Thai radio
messages to Burma's Township Border Committee.

The detention of the Thais further strained relations between the two
neighbours following a hostage crisis in Bangkok early this month in which
five armed gunmen stormed the Burmese embassy.

''We have asked for a quick trial and that any punishment be confined to a
fine, not jail,'' said Ranong governor Thawat Hantra.

He said earlier reports indicated more Thais were being held in Burma but it
now appeared that eight of those detained were Burmese locals.

Burma denied yesterday that the arrest of Thai gamblers inside its territory
was related to the siege at its embassy.

''They were arrested for breaching the gambling act and appropriate legal
action shall be taken against all those involved, irrespective of
nationality,'' said an official statement received in Bangkok. ''It has
nothing to do with the embassy incident.''

It was not clear what gambling act the 31 persons had violated since the
casino had been given official permission to operate and thousands of Thais
had flocked there to try their luck.

Thawat said the wives and children of the Thai gamblers were released on
Friday. Nine men were freed early on Saturday.

The Ranong governor said provincial authorities had sent a letter to Burmese
officials in the Thai-Burmese Border Committee, asking for explanations over
the matter. He said he had received no reply.

Thawat said an informal channel had been established with Burma's local
authorities in Kaw Song. Thai businessman Vikrom Aisiri, who owns the
five-star Andaman Club hotel on Kaw Song and is closely connected with the
Burmese authorities, had contacted a senior Burmese military officer, who
agreed to help expedite the legal process for the arrested Thais.

Through a normal process, the case may take more than a week. But Thai
authorities want to ensure that the case would be dealt with before that.

He quoted the businessman as saying that the detained Thais were in good
health and were not mistreated.

Thawat said a meeting between Thai and Burmese members of the Border
Committee might be arranged. He said the fact that Burmese officials from
Rangoon had taken control from local officials might make it difficult for
Thai authorities to negotiate for their release.

Meanwhile, Ba Than, coordinator of Burmese student groups, said yesterday
many exiled Burmese students in Thailand had applied to be relocated to a
third country, particularly the United States.

He said many Burmese students were already living in the US and the exiles
in Thailand might enjoy more freedom there.

In a related development, former secretary-general for Foreign Affairs,
Pracha Kunakasem, yesterday called on the government to bring the issue of
the Thai-Burmese border closure to the negotiation table.

He said this was the best solution for the sake of national interests.

Burma closed its border with Thailand on Oct 2, after Bangkok provided an
escape helicopter for the five gunmen who had been holding 38 people hostage
at Rangoon's embassy.

Burma was angered by Thailand's handling of the hostage crisis, especially
by comments from a senior Thai minister who described the gunmen as ''not
terrorists, but student activists fighting for democracy''.

Rangoon indicated it would only re-open the border when the gunmen from the
''Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors'' organisation were arrested.

Thailand issued arrest warrants for the student activists but said it did
not know their whereabouts.

Senior members of the activist group said earlier this week that the gunmen
were on the run inside Burma.

The Nation, Agence France-Presse