Border closure

The Thai Foreign Minister, Mr Surapong Tovichakchaikul, led a group of visited Burma, border town of Myawaddy to meet with Karen State Chief Minister U Zaw Min on 3rd February. Speaking to the media the Mr Surapong said discussions at the Myawaddy meeting concentrated on migrant workers, border trade, preventing important trade crossing from being closed and increasing goodwill between…

Rumors are circulating that the trade crossing between Mae Sot on the Thai side and Myawaddy on the Burma side is about to officially open after 13 months of closure. Myawaddy residents are convinced the Friendship Bridge linking the two countries will reopen in a matter of days. A Myawaddy resident told Karen News that there has been discussion between…

Mr Samart Loifah, the governor of Tak Province, sent shockwaves through the Burmese refugee camps when he told reporters earlier this week that Thai authorities had been discussing with Burmese officials the possibility of closing the border camps. Mr. Loifah also speculated that Thai authorities would target Burmese pro-democracy opposition groups living on the Thai side of the border. Mr…

Since July 2010, Burma’s military regime has insisted on keeping the Myawaddy-Mae Sot border checkpoint closed in retaliation for what it claims was the unofficial construction of a concrete embankment on the Thai side. A year has almost passed and the border crossing between Mae Sot and Myawaddy is still closed. In spite of rumours that it would open after…