All 49 Thai detainees in Myanmar are safe: Fourth Army Region Commander

July 8, 2012

RANONG, July 8 – All 49 Thais detained for encroaching into Myanmar territory are safe and authorities are working to seek their release, said Fourth Army Region Commander Lt Gen Udomchai Thamsarorach.

Lt Gen Udomchai on Sunday visited a village in Kraburi district in Ranong to follow up on progress in helping 49 Thai detainees including 41 men and eight women.

He met relatives of the detainees, telling them not to worry, as relevant officials are trying to help them return home safely. No one was injured nor ill, he said, adding that Myanmar authority pledged to take care of them.

Col Pornsak Poonsawat, Commander of the 25th Infantry Regiment on Sunday visited Klongkranai area at the Thai–Myanmar border zone to send food, medicine, and drinking water to Thai detainees and to negotiate with Myanmar officials.

However, Myanmar officials authorized to talk did not show up, so Thai officials has contacted the Myanmar military via communication radio to reschedule an appointment for new negotiations, but no exact date has yet been confirmed.

On a report that some Thai people managed to flee, Pathawee Pratkachariya, deputy Ranong governor said about 30 Thais escaped the arrest and returned home. They claimed that they did not know the location where they went operating rubber plantation was in Myanmar territory.

Meanwhile, in Krabi, relatives of four detainees gathered at the village head’s home, waiting to hear about any progress.

Nutthanicha Makpol, wife of Wimol Makpon, one of those arrested for trespassing into Myanmar, said she was worried after knowing that her husband and neighbours were arrested and could not be contacted.

An initial investigation on the encroachment found that Thai workers were defrauded by brokers to buy plots of land at a cheap price not realising that the land was Myanmar territory.

According to a report, on July 4, three companies of Myanmar troops detained the Thai nationals who allegedly cut trees and clearing the area to plant para rubber trees in Myanmar territory at Koh Song, opposite Ranong's Kra Buri district. (MCOT online news)

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