[Myanmar] Burma Asked to Protect Thai Tourists

Thailand on Wednesday asked Burma’s government to better protect Thai tourists following the abduction of five Thai tourists last month, the Bangkok Post reported on Thursday. The request came at a meeting of the Thai-Myanmar Border Township Committee (TBC) in Tachilek, where the five Thais were kidnapped in May by members of the ethnic Wa minority who demanded a 6 billion baht ($200 million) ransom. The Thais managed to escape from their captors on June 1 after being held for four weeks. The request from Thailand comes as Burma last week rolled out a $500 million plan to boost tourism.