THAILAND – Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin instructed the relevant departments and organizations to carefully handle the ongoing war on the Myanmar side of the border to prevent it from spreading into Thai territory.
Prime Minister Srettha said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Thai military should liaise with the relevant organizations on the Myanmar side to deal with the matter.
On April 11th, Srettha gave this answer during a meeting with reporters in Bangkok regarding the fierce fighting between the coup Myanmar army and the Karen National Union (KNU) troops in Myawaddy, which is located on the Myanmar-Thailand border.
Despite widespread reports that the KNU and allied forces have captured Myawaddy’s last remaining garrison, Infantry Battalion 275, but the junta still refuses.
Srettha said that the current issues are only internal problems on the Myanmar side, but the Thai military and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must plan and control in advance so that the conflict does not spread to the Thai’s soil.
In connection with the tensions on the other side of the border, it is possible that F-16 fighter jets will be used to protect Thai airspace, but in his opinion, he does not want unnecessary tensions between Myanmar and Thailand to rise, Srettha added.
Recently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand said that it is planning to help and resettle around 100,000 Burmese refugees who fled the conflict at the border.
The Prime Minister confirmed that it is to continuously monitor the situation where a large number of people fleeing the war may enter. Currently, the situation in Mae Sot, a border town on the Thai side, is still under control, he said.
Despite some roadblocks and military conditions, there are transportation difficulties, but the border trade routes are still open, Thai authorities said. It is reported that the Thai army has increased security measures along the border and deployed guards after the fighting spread to 7 kilometres from the border.