FIRM HAND NEEDED WITH THE BURMESE

The continuing cross-border shelling between the Wa drug army and Thai
troops along the northern border is a slap in the face for the Thai
government, which has often claimed that bilateral relations with Burma are
fine and dandy and back on track. For the past week, Thai troops along the
northern border have been slugging it out with soldiers belonging to the
United Wa State Army (UWSA), a pro-Rangoon outfit dubbed the world's
largest armed drug trafficking group.

The UWSA is responsible for a very significant amount of the world's heroin
supply, as well as the millions of methamphetamines that flood Thailand
each month. And once again - and this is probably not the last time -
villagers along the northern border who, more than anyone do not deserve to
be misled by their leaders in Bangkok, are exposed to violence.

HM the Queen even had to cancel a planned visit to a Royal project in a
remote village in Chiang Mai province for safety reasons. And, since this
latest round of cross-border shelling, the authorities have shut down a
border crossing.

For the past nine months since Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's
fence-mending visit to Rangoon in June, the government has been telling the
people that the two sides have achieved a level of understanding that can
nurture further cooperation, be it in narcotics suppression and other joint
mechanisms or infrastructure development and investment.

Thailand even proposed a Bt20 million crop-substitution project in a
Wa-controlled area. It was a goodwill gesture from Bangkok to Rangoon that
a tripartite arrangement - involving Thailand, Burma and the UWSA - could
work towards a fruitful result in spite of the acknowledgement by Thai and
foreign narcotic officers of the significant illicit gains made by the Wa
army from methamphetamines.

Like it or not, the Wa and their illicit drugs have effectively become a
bargaining chip in Thai-Burmese deals. So far there has been no indication
from Rangoon that they would like to see the Wa taken out of the equation.
The fundamental problems - drugs, insurgencies, refugees, illegal migration
and mutual suspicion - continue to shape bilateral ties.

Indeed, the ongoing clashes are a testimony that normalcy is still nowhere
in sight as far as ties are concerned. The government has to stop
misleading the people and accept the relationship for what it is. However,
this does not mean that our leaders should sit idly by and do nothing.

For one thing, we need to hold Rangoon accountable for the Wa's illicit
activities. We cannot let the Burmese junta get away with a mere diplomatic
protest. For too long Rangoon has been playing the UWSA card in its
dealings with Thailand. It's time to put a stop to this.

Rangoon is quick to cry foul, accusing Thailand of being offside when
clashes between the UWSA and Thai troops break out. Their favourite word is
"sovereignty". But the junta does not seem to understand that with
"sovereignty" comes responsibility. Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai,
during his upcoming visit to Mandalay, must tell Rangoon it is accountable
for the Wa's illicit activities. In short, the generals can't have their
cake and eat it too.