Thousands flee into Thailand amid renewed Myanmar fighting

[webfact]

Rising violence since the coup has forced civilians to flee [File: Stringer/AFP]

 

Unrest has deepened in Myanmar since the military seized power from the elected government in February 2021.

 

Thousands of people have fled across the border to Thailand amid fierce fighting between Myanmar’s armed rebel groups and the military, according to Thai officials.

 

Myanmar was plunged into turmoil when the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, leading to mass protests and an armed uprising.

Thai officials said the fighting near the border was concentrated near the town of Myawaddy in southern Karen state, also known as Kayin, bordering Thailand’s Tak province.

 

“Around 3,998 people have fled into Thailand’s temporary shelter” across 10 areas, Tak provincial officials said in a statement, adding that the situation was being closely monitored. 

 

Full story: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/7/thousands-flee-into-thailand-amid-renewed-myanmar-fighting

 

-- © AlJazeera 2023-04-07

 

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[thaitom]

No mention that the border crossing is closed.  I have to go there on Wednesday.  

[WHansen]

A heartbreaking situation for the Burmese people.

They are involved in a war that the world is ignoring due to the fact that Burma has nothing the western world wants or needs.

[Burma Bill]

2 hours ago, WHansen said:

due to the fact that Burma has nothing the western world wants or needs.

With respect, not strictly true. Before the latest coup with its trade sanctions, oil, gas, gemstones and wood (teak in particular) were exported to the West. Norway's Telenor company played a major role in telecommunicatios but pulled out in 2018 when the latest junta made unacceptable demands. Telenor owned DTAC in Thailand and is now involved with TRUE in the recent merger.

[George Aylesham]

1 hour ago, Burma Bill said:

With respect, not strictly true. Before the latest coup with its trade sanctions, oil, gas, gemstones and wood (teak in particular) were exported to the West. Norway's Telenor company played a major role in telecommunicatios but pulled out in 2018 when the latest junta made unacceptable demands. Telenor owned DTAC in Thailand and is now involved with TRUE in the recent merger.

And Thailand (along with China) remains the major client for Burmese gas.

[billd766]

3 hours ago, WHansen said:

A heartbreaking situation for the Burmese people.

They are involved in a war that the world is ignoring due to the fact that Burma has nothing the western world wants or needs.

And a war that ASEAN is ignoring.

[heybruce]

4 hours ago, WHansen said:

A heartbreaking situation for the Burmese people.

They are involved in a war that the world is ignoring due to the fact that Burma has nothing the western world wants or needs.

What can the west do, short of military involvement?

[ukrules]

19 minutes ago, heybruce said:

What can the west do, short of military involvement?

Why should it do anything? It's an Asian problem which they choose to ignore.

 

 

[Social Media]

 

[zzaa09]

3 hours ago, billd766 said:

And a war that ASEAN is ignoring.

For some 60 years....

[Blumpie]

1 hour ago, zzaa09 said:

For some 60 years....

War in Myanmar is considered normal.  The place is bizarre.  

The only people who truly value it is the Chinese for jade.  Oil and gas, yeah, whatever.  Easier places to get it without the violence.

[simon43]

2 hours ago, Blumpie said:

War in Myanmar is considered normal.  The place is bizarre.  

The only people who truly value it is the Chinese for jade.  Oil and gas, yeah, whatever.  Easier places to get it without the violence.

The place is home to tens of millions of innocent civilians who only want peace.

[heybruce]

11 hours ago, ukrules said:

Why should it do anything? It's an Asian problem which they choose to ignore.

I agree it's an Asian problem and the lack of interest in resolving it is appalling.  However it is also a massive humanitarian crisis.  If there were something the west could do to resolve it I would support such action.  However I don't know what can be done that wouldn't make things worse.

[zzaa09]

7 hours ago, simon43 said:

The place is home to tens of millions of innocent civilians who only want peace.

Yet, after decades, they still haven't figured out a way to attain it. 

[Gknrd]

 So the Thai military run government is Turing a blind eye to the Myanmar military run government.   Okay , makes sense now.

[zzaa09]

38 minutes ago, Gknrd said:

 So the Thai military run government is Turing a blind eye to the Myanmar military run government.   Okay , makes sense now.

Not a great revelation - both, historically, have been close....in a rather creepy manner.

Birds of a feather.

[thaitom]

8 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

same..came here about this...please report back on the situation..thanks

I'm thinking I better go on Monday to check out the situation, my visa expires on Wednesday, the immigration office should still be open, but all I want to do is cross the bridge and return immediately. 

[zzaa09]

On 4/7/2023 at 1:09 PM, heybruce said:

I agree it's an Asian problem and the lack of interest in resolving it is appalling.  However it is also a massive humanitarian crisis.  If there were something the west could do to resolve it I would support such action.  However I don't know what can be done that wouldn't make things worse.

Hmmmmm....

Yet, nothing is ever resolved by way of the benevolent Western intervention. Just the opposite comes about.

History has shown us that. 

[heybruce]

2 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

Hmmmmm....

Yet, nothing is ever resolved by way of the benevolent Western intervention. Just the opposite comes about.

History has shown us that. 

If you mean benevolent Western intervention following earthquakes, floods, typhoons, hurricanes, etc., I disagree.

 

If you mean "benevolent military intervention", why limit it to the west?  Can you give any example since World War II of military intervention from any power, Western or non-Western, giving beneficial results?

 

Also, while both cases are open to debate, the first Gulf War, which got Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait, and the NATO intervention in the former Yugoslavia, which prevented further atrocities, could be offered as examples of successful military interventions.

Edited April 9, 2023 by heybruce