MORE TROOPS TO BE MOVED TO PROTECT BURMESE BORDER

Forces Along Eastern Frontier To Pull Back

Army troops will be pulled out of the border with Laos and Cambodia in
October as security efforts focus on the Thai-Burmese frontier.

Army chief-of-staff Gen Montrisak Boonkhong said the troops would be
withdrawn from all areas along the eastern border except Aranyaprathet, Sa
Kaew,and Chong Mek in Ubon Ratchathani on Oct 1.

The army would still command military strategy in the area, but day to day
security would be taken over by border patrol police and paramilitary rangers.

Gen Montrisak said funds and firepower would be relocated from the East to
the western border to join the operation against drug trafficking and beef
up border security.

The build up would focus on Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Tak
provinces, and include the provision of more night-vision goggles for
troops stationed there. Production of methamphetamines in Burma was still
on the rise, although some large drug laboratories had been damaged in
fighting between minority forces along the border.

Spokesman Gen Sanan Kachornklam said the Defence Council is still worried
about the large number of Thais leaving the country to gamble at casinos
just across the border. It also anticipates border problems due to
Rangoon's relocation of more than 80,000 Wa people, traditional opium
growers, to areas near the Thai border.