Foreign Ministry denies policy to detain pro-democracy dissidents from Myanmar

Listen to this story

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied on Saturday news reports that the Thai government would detain and extradite back to Myanmar several leaders of the pro-democracy movement.

Viral posts on social media and Myanmar-language news reports purportedly showed posters at a refugee camp on the border, written in Thai, of six Myanmar protest leaders who “might use Thailand as a base to conduct operations against the Myanmar government.”

The six people are Min Ko Naing and Ko Jimmy of the 8888 uprising, Kyaw Moe Tun who is the Myanmar representative to the UN, Maung Maung who is the leader of the CTUM, Kyaw Thu who is the founder of the FFSS, and rock star Lynn Lynn.

According to Tanee Sangrat, the spokesman for the foreign ministry, Thailand “has no policy” on apprehending or sending back Myanmar dissidents.

“I can confirm that such information has no official status or basis in any policy whatsoever,” he told Thai Enquirer.

It is unclear who put up the poster in question. Calls to the Royal Thai Army which administers and guards the borders were not returned. Calls to the border police also went unanswered.

It is the second time in as many weeks where the Thai government has been questioned over alleged support to the Myanmar regime.

Earlier in March, a Reuters report found that the Thai army had been supplying rice to the Myanmar army units along the border. The Thai army has since denied these reports and said it was part of regular trade.

Ongoing crackdowns by the Myanmar junta has left scores of people dead. Three people were allegedly shot dead by security forces on Saturday in Yangon ahead of planned anti-coup protests.

The Myanmar military took power in a February 1 coup under the pretense of restoring democracy and getting rid of the Aung San Suu Kyi government which it said participated in widespread electoral fraud last year.

COVID-19

Ivermectin not effective in treating Covid-19, joint Mahidol-Oxford study shows

Ivermectin is not shown to be effective against Covid-19 in clinical trials according to the findings of a joint...

Latest article