(Translation from Thai)
4 August 2023
Subject: Measures to protect the people along the Western border facing armed conflicts in Myanmar
Dear The House Speaker,
There has been an ongoing and fierce armed battles along the Thailand-Myanmar, from the North in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Tak, down to Kanchanaburi and Ranong in the past two years, following the military coup in Myanmar. This has forced a massive number of people to flee from Myanmar to Thailand. Meanwhile, the people who live along the border in Thailand continue to endure impacts from aerial and land attacks by the Myanmar Army. This has caused widespread damage to the people in Thailand in various incidences, for example;
[1] Since 27 March 2021, around Mae Sam Laep, Sob Moei District and Ban Tha Ta Fang, Mae Sariang District, Mae Hong Son, the Myanmar fighter jets have dropped bombs on the other side of the border and the Salween River. However, the fighter jets also intruded into Thailand’s airspace. Various kinds of munitions dropped have as a result caused damage to property and houses of the local people. Later on 28 April 2021, the clashes around the Dagwin military base, opposite to Ban Tha Ta Fang, Mae Sariang District, Mae Hong Son including the use of jet fighters and helicopters to drop bombs and the machine guns fired from the aircrafts, have forced local Thai residents to seek shelter along the Salween River living in the forests not far away from the border. Some of them remain at home to monitor the situation fearing the Myanmar’s fighter jets might launch an attack at nighttime. During such battles, local villagers managed to take photo of the Myanmar’s warplanes while flying in Thailand’s airspace above Ban Tha Ta Fang and have published them via social media.
Nowadays, the warplanes keep bombing the area inside Myanmar’s Karen State close to the Thai border. Recognizance drones have also been dispatched there continually. The situation is so terrifying for the local villagers who work on their farms in Thailand.
[2] On 30 June 2022, the Myanmar’s fighter jets flew over Ban Wale Nua, Tambon Wale, Phop Phra district, Tak, and fired explosive shells causing the ammunition to fall into a palm plantation and some shrapnel has caused damage to pickup trucks belonging to Thai residents about one kilometer from the border. The Myanmar’s fighter jets have even flown into the airspace of the city of Phop Phra district. The residents who have suffered from the damage have urged the Thai military to contact their Myanmar counterparts demanding compensation. Eventually, they only got compensated by their insurance companies.
Nowadays, Thai residents living along the Moei River are gravely concerned about the armed conflicts inside Myanmar as they have no idea when such intrusion will happen again as the armed conflicts continue unabated.
[3] In February 2023, in Pak Chan, Kra Buri District, Ranong, the Myanmar soldiers have fired explosive shells against their opposition armed forces and civilian communities along the Myanmar border. This has caused the people in Myanmar to flee and seek shelter in Thailand’s palm plantations. Meanwhile, the Myanmar Army’s explosive shells fell right by cow sheds in Thailand causing casualties among the cattle and the shed structure. The Thai military have come into remove any shrapnel from the area. However, none of the Thai authorities have enquired the local residents about the damage or the demand for remedy.
[4] In July 2023, at the Thai border in Ban Sao Hin, Mae Sariang District, Mae Hong Son, the Myanmar Army has sent their fighter jets to drop bombs continually in the village. This has forced tens of thousands of villagers in Karenni State to flee for their life by seeking shelter in Thailand while it does not appear the violence will soon end.
Apart from the above incidences, there have also been several other unreported violent events. According to the people’s sector, this situation will become more violent and a large of number of people in Myanmar will continue to suffer from such indiscriminate aerial attacks. The Myanmar Army has insofar attacked even schools, hospitals, temporary shelters, and civilian villages. Nowadays, people on both sides of the river are constantly panic whenever they hear noise of the planes. The peasants who work on their farms along the Thailand-Myanmar border have to always flee for shelter causing them to not earn their living normally.
Such firing of shells and dropping of bombs from the Myanmar’s fighter jets continue unabated since the Myanmar Army is finding it more difficult to make their inroads into the area through their infantry troops. Therefore, they have to rely heavily on their aerial superiority. But their indiscriminate attacks have caused much damage to the civilians living along the border in Thailand and Myanmar. It has led to destruction of their property and inflicted fear among the Thai people living along the border.
Such bombing and shelling targeting civilian structure is a violation of international law. In addition, Thailand has to host a large number of people who have fled for their survival and provide them humanitarian help. At the moment, there is yet any measure meted out to make the villagers feel safer.
As we are the organizations working along the border and have been aware of the situation, we feel gravely concerned about the situation along the border. The Thai government should therefore offer protection to the people living along the border to ensure they can earn their living normally. At least, some measures should be provided to prevent the intrusion of the Myanmar’s fighter jets from causing damage to the civilian communities along the border. We fervently hope the National Assembly, as representatives of the people, can help to advocate for measures to protect the people along the border who have been suffering from the fallouts of the armed conflicts inside out neighboring country.
Please be informed and take action immediately.
Signed by community-based organizations and civil society organizations working in the area
Salween Association, Mae Hong Son
Hill Area and Community Development Foundation (HADF) ·
Spirit in Education Movement (SEM), Sathirakoses Nagapradipa Foundation
Friends Without Borders Foundation
Network to Restore Nationality for Thai Diasporas in Phang-Nga, Ranong, Chumphon, Prachuab Khirikhan
Legal Status Network Foundation (LSNF)
Burma Concern
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Coordinated by Pai Deetes, 081 4220111