CNI News
2 December 29, 2024
The military camps of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) in the Mae Hong Son region where the borderline between Myanmar and Thailand had not be designated might retreat to the northeastern part of Shan State, chairman of the Arakan Front Party (AFP), Dr. Aye Maung told CNI News.
The Thai Army has warned the UWSA to retreat its nine military camps from Mae Hong Son on 18th December at the latest.
If the Wa region was in the territory, the UWSA must accept the management by the Myanmar government; so as not make tensions take place, Wa military camps might retreat to the northeastern part of Shan State, he said.
" I heard that the borderline between Myanmar and Thailand hasn't been designated in Mae Hong Son. Did Myanmar government give the camps to the UWSA? The question could enter the history. If the Wa region is included in the territory of Myanmar, Wa must accept the management by the Myanmar government. Otherwise, the Myanmar government will find it difficult to solve the border dispute with Thailand. If so, the Wa military camps must retreat to the northeastern part of Shan State. In these places, the border guard force of Myanmar government must be deployed. Otherwise, it will be difficult for Myanmar government to accept." he said.
The map of 171 region described by the voice of Wa youth network
That the Thai government asked the UWSA to retreat its nine military camps in Mae Hong Son was right; it was just an issue between the two countries to solve and the case had been informed to the leadership of the country, said U Nyi Rang, the liaison officer for the United Wa State Army (UWSA) in Lashio, Shan State through a news agency based in Wa State on 26th November.
However, the State Administration Council and the Myanmar Tatmadaw have not made any comments on that.
Mr Dusit Manapan, Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand and FM of the SAC, U Than Swe met and discussed the security and stability of the border areas on 27th November 2024.
Thai Army was ready to protect its territory and if the UWSA advances beyond the borderline informally designated, Thai Army would drive them away from the borderline, which Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy PM said, reported the Thai Enquirer, a Thailand based news agency.
While Myanmar FM U Than Swe was meeting with Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
The announcements that would come out from the diplomatic discussions must be watched, Dr. Hla Kyaw Zaw, a China-Myanmar affairs commentator, told CNI News.
" They will discuss diplomatically about it, I think. Surely, the discussion will be conducted among military officials from both sides in the border areas, I think. I wonder if they will discuss the borderline. But the military is instigating. I don't know what will happen next. We have to watch what announcements will come out" she said.
In time of military tension with Thai Army, the UWSA held the opening ceremony of military training school where 2,000 recruits were included in the No. 171 area of southern region of the UWSA on 26th November, broadcast on the Wa State TV.
