Some Myanmar wounded cross into Thailand, others sent back

[snoop1130]

A wounded person who is fleeing the violence in Myanmar lies on a stretcher to receive medical treatment at the Thai border village of Mae Sam Laep, Mae Hong Son province, Thailand March 30, 2021. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

MAE SAM LAEP, Thailand (Reuters) - About a dozen people fleeing military air strikes in Myanmar were allowed to cross into a Thai border village on Tuesday to receive medical treatment, as Thailand's prime minister said authorities had asked others who fled to return.

 

Thailand has been accused by activists of pushing back thousands of people trying to flee violence against those opposing Myanmar's military coup in February, an accusation the foreign ministry has denied.

 

A health official in Mae Sam Laep village said the people who arrived by boat across Salween river marking the border were ethnic Karen who were wounded in violence.

 

However, the Thai army was still sending back most of those fleeing Myanmar because it had deemed the situation over the border to be safe, another official in the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

 

On Tuesday, Myanmar villager Kyaw Lar Bri, 48, said he was hit by bomb shrapnel from an air attack on Saturday before fleeing into the jungle and later boarding a boat to cross the river to Mae Sam Laep along with six other wounded people.

 

"It is still not safe and villagers do not dare to return to the villages," he said.

 

Another woman who was receiving treatment in Thailand appeared to have scarring and blisters on her face.

 

Activists on Monday accused Thailand of pushing thousands back into Myanmar, releasing video published by Reuters of people boarding boats on a riverbank under the watch of Thai soldiers.

 

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Tuesday downplayed the situation at the border.

 

"Some villagers arrived and we asked what problems there were and they said they weren't (any) - then can you go back first? We didn't point guns in their faces, we even wished each other well. That's humanitarian," Prayuth said.

 

"If there is real suffering, we can't deny them. We are not making an announcement welcoming them - that's not it," he said.

 

Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said his country had asked Myanmar's new military rulers to reduce the level of violence after security forces on Saturday killed at least 141 people opposing the coup.

 

Heavy clashes erupted on the weekend near the Thai border between the army and fighters from Myanmar's oldest ethnic minority force, the Karen National Union (KNU), which has also denounced the coup.

 

The KNU was warning of further attacks, saying it had intelligence that its headquarters at Laywah, where people fleeing central areas are believed to be sheltering, would be bombed. A source from the group said fighter jets had been flying over the area on Tuesday.

 

People from Myanmar have also being trying to cross into India, where a border state withdrew an order to refuse food and shelter to people from Myanmar fleeing bloodshed, according to two officials, after the measure drew fierce public criticism.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-03-30

 

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[petermik]

Help and assistance should be provided to anyone fleeing a violent and unlawful regime....

[Ventenio]

9 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

were allowed to cross into a Thai border village on Tuesday to receive medical treatment,

 good.   very good.  

[ChipButty]

Come on Thailand do the right thing and offer humanitarian aid

[ChipButty]

5 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

 good.   very good.  

My worry is would they get sent back after receiving medical treatment? 

[YetAnother]

26 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

authorities had asked others who fled to return

asked ? seriously ?

[ThailandRyan]

28 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Some villagers arrived and we asked what problems there were and they said they weren't (any) - then can you go back first? We didn't point guns in their faces, we even wished each other well. That's humanitarian," Prayuth said.

What a man.  Sending back people afraid for their lives and fleeing as political refugees because they are being bombed. Problem can't be bad so go home your not wanted here.  So sweet of him.

[metisdead]

A post of a defamatory nature has been removed. 

[Pib]

 

Quote

Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said his country had asked Myanmar's new military rulers to reduce the level of violence after security forces on Saturday killed at least 141 people opposing the coup.

 

Well, I'm sure the Myanmar military rulers complied with Khun Don's request---NOT!!!!

[anchadian]

17 minutes ago, Pib said:

 

 

Well, I'm sure the Myanmar military rulers complied with Khun Don's request---NOT!!!!

And how many other world powers have said exactly the same thing, yet nothing is done to halt these continuing murders of unarmed protestors.

 

 

[dinsdale]

Asked an oldish Thai what he thought about the situation in Myanmar about the military killing people. He said it was bad because people from Myanmar will come here and bring covid with them. I didn't respond. TIT but says a lot.

[dinsdale]

Prayut I'm sure is very happy Thais just accepted his coup and fixed election. Let's see what happens in Myanmar and will it spill over to a rising across SEA. 

[RichardColeman]

6 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

However, the Thai army was still sending back most of those fleeing Myanmar because it had deemed the situation over the border to be safe,

I would say that statement beggars belief, but then how do accept refugees from country who's killing its civilians whilst you party for their forces day ? 

 

[Thechook]

Didn't Prayuth tell the media he respected human rights and will accept refugees

[simon43]

Why are aid agencies banned by the Thai authorities from visiting these areas and helping the refugees?  This has been Thai policy for years.  What are the Thai authorities trying to hide?

[nobodysfriend]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said his country had asked Myanmar's new military rulers to reduce the level of violence

Reduce the level of violence ?

Violence needs to stop immediately . These people were demonstrating peacefully for restoring democracy when a lot of them were killed by heavily armed trained soldiers and policemen .

 

[Pique Dard]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 That's humanitarian," Prayuth said.

in that case, humanitarian has acquired a new  synonym so far unknown for most people 

[spiekerjozef]

14 hours ago, petermik said:

Help and assistance should be provided to anyone fleeing a violent and unlawful regime....

We all know what the best help is......

Is there some sort of a Gentleman's agreement among the rest of the world NOT to take out a country's leader?

[ThailandRyan]

Just now, spiekerjozef said:

We all know what the best help is......

Is there some sort of a Gentleman's agreement among the rest of the world NOT to take out a country's leader?

Ask the CIA

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, ChipButty said:

My worry is would they get sent back after receiving medical treatment? 

Absolutely.

[anchadian]

What to believe?

 

Another conflicting report

 

Thai PBS World

 

@ThaiPBSWorld

·

13m

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-insists-all-myanmar-nationals-who-fled-across-border-want-to-go-home/

 

Thailand's Interior Ministry says the Kingdom has been aiding and accommodating almost 3,000 Myanmar civilians who fled the conflict across the border into Mae Hong Son province. Seven were injured and were taken to Sob Moei hospital for treatment.

[Surelynot]

China attended the military day in Myanmar (along with Russia)......so Thailand's Chinese leaders will be well aware of what their reaction is expected to be when these poor souls try to flee bombing and burning of their villages.

[connda]

5 hours ago, simon43 said:

Why are aid agencies banned by the Thai authorities from visiting these areas and helping the refugees?  This has been Thai policy for years.  What are the Thai authorities trying to hide?

Let me take a stab at that.  They're trying to hide their xenophobic policies that exclude refugees from safely settling in temporary refugee camps until the danger is over.  And the refugee camps can't be established because aid organizations aren't allowed to intervene and assist.

Thailand for Thais only.  Everyone else including people escaping genocide need to go return to their own borders even if it's a potential death sentence? 
Sure.  Thai Humanitarianism.  I'm sure good Thai Buddhist leaders will be rewarded in their next life. 

Humanitarianism would be to allow aid organizations to set up refugee camps and allow persecuted Myanmar ethnic minorities to remain until Myanmar returns to a stable form of government. 
Why doesn't that happen.  Let's think.  Thailand is run by members of a junta that came to power in 2014 in a military coup.  (Historic fact).
Myanmar has just had a military coup and has a history of military repression. (Historic fact)
Birds of a feather flock together?  These men have much in common in they way they approach the world - through force at the end of a gun. (History fact, I was here and watched it happen).
It doesn't take a lot of reasoning to understand why refugees are not being given refugee status and allowed at stay in Thailand.  Unlike Western countries, Thailand has never been a haven for refugees and probably never will.  Prayut definitely has nothing in common with Joe Biden or Angela Merkle and other EU countries when it comes to extending humanitarian aid and relief to refugees facing genocide in their own countries. And the international media does notice and Thailand is getting press coverage that will cause a huge loss of face on the world stage.  Prayut should dust off the cardboard cutout of himself and set it up for interviews by foreign press.  That essentially what he's doing now.  He just dismisses the issue.

[malibukid]

Biden needs to send a carrie group into the Bay of Bengal and if that doesn't work a dozen cruise missiles targeted Myanmar military bases should do the trick.  we know where these bases are and i am sure this is being discussed.  

[nobodysfriend]

39 minutes ago, connda said:

I'm sure good Thai Buddhist leaders will be rewarded in their next life. 

I hope that they'll get their reward in this life already ...

[Surelynot]

How on Earth do China and Russia justify attending the Myanmar Forces day celebrations......beyond disgusting.

[Bkk Brian]

9 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

How on Earth do China and Russia justify attending the Myanmar Forces day celebrations......beyond disgusting.

and Thailand.................

 

CONDEMNED BY WORLD LEADERS BUT CELEBRATIONS ATTENDED BY SOME COUNTRIES INCLUDING THAILAND 

 

https://royalcoastreview.com/2021/03/myanmar-armed-forces-day-citizen-killings-condemned-by-world-leaders-but-celebrations-attended-by-some-countries-including-thailand/

[Surelynot]

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

and Thailand.................

 

CONDEMNED BY WORLD LEADERS BUT CELEBRATIONS ATTENDED BY SOME COUNTRIES INCLUDING THAILAND 

 

https://royalcoastreview.com/2021/03/myanmar-armed-forces-day-citizen-killings-condemned-by-world-leaders-but-celebrations-attended-by-some-countries-including-thailand/

OMG.......I didn't realize Thailand also attended........that really has shocked me.

[nobodysfriend]

33 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

OMG.......I didn't realize Thailand also attended........that really has shocked me.

Both brothers in Arms , only one disguises as a democracy ...

[malibukid]

22 hours ago, petermik said:

Help and assistance should be provided to anyone fleeing a violent and unlawful regime....

Thailand does not recognize  the International Refuge Act