Mon villagers to be sent to Myanmar

All 100 ethnic Mon villagers taking refuge in Kanchanaburi will be deported back to Myanmar if there is no likely confrontation between the Myanmar military and armed Mon rebels, authorities say.

The group, whose numbers earlier reached 160, starting turning up at Wat Song Karia Trai Nimit Wanaram in Sangkhla Buri district about the middle of last week, following a fear of a possible skirmish between Myanmar troops and the ethnic armed group near their villages in Myanmar’s Payatongsu district.

With no sign of a clash, many have decided to go back to their homes and yesterday another 20 villagers followed suit, leaving only about 100 remaining at the temple, said Col Banyong Thongnuam, chief of Surasi Army Camp’s Lat Ya special task force, based in Kanchanaburi.

The temple, which is near the country’s famous longest wooden bridge, is known to be a centre of an ethnic Mon community in Kanchanaburi.

Last week Mon villagers, mainly from Ban Bo Yipun and Ban Rai Oi in Myanmar, fled the volatile situation in the two villages, reportedly caused by a conflict between the military and a Mon guerilla group.

A security source said earlier about 400 Myanmar soldiers had moved closer to surround Ban Bo Yipun, which raised fresh concerns over possible clashes between the two sides.

This prompted the influx of Mon villagers into Kanchanaburi’s Sangkhla Buri district, which is opposite Payatongsu district.

The event also prompted members of Myanmar’s National League for Democracy Party, in Payatongsu, and 100 local villagers to take part in a walking campaign on Tuesday to reiterate their support for the NLDled government of Aung San Suu Kyi, which wants to solve internal conflicts through peaceful talks with various ethnic groups.

Though the situation is calming down, Thai military officers said they will tighten security along Thai-Myanmar border. More soldiers have been deployed.

“We’ll not let either side encroach on Thai territory to gain a tactical advantage,” Col Bangyong vowed.

People will still be allowed to travel through the Three Pagoda border checkpoint and tourists can visit Payatongsu market as usual, he said.