Yuthasak to discuss Thai detainees during Myanmar visit

He will fly to Yangon this evening to attend a SEA Games Federation Council meeting and is expected to hold talks with the Myanmar official on the sidelines of the event.

General Yuthasak, assigned by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to welcome Myanmar President Thein Sein on his planned visit to Thailand on July 22, said he expected to see progress in the detainee case this week.

The investigation is underway, the deputy prime minister said, adding that Myanmar authorities had not yet specified the exact number of detainees they expect to be targeted for legal action.

Those thought to have committed no offence are likely to be freed first, while those accused of possessing illegal drugs or weapons will remain in custody. The Thai nationals were reportedly taken into custody by Myanmar troops on July 4 at Koh Song, opposite Ranong’s Kra Buri district. They allegedly cut down trees and cleared a forest area to plant para rubber trees in Myanmar territory.

An initial investigation of the land encroachment found that the Thai workers had been lured by brokers to buy plots of land at a low price, not realising the land was actually in Myanmar.

Thai Supreme Commander Tanasak Pratimapakorn said after visiting Myanmar that negotiations were being carried out at the local and regional levels through the Thai-Myanmar Township Border Committee (TBC) and the Thai-Myanmar Regional Border Committee (RBC), as well as through diplomatic channels.

There should be no problem, as the two countries have good relations, he said. All detainees are safe and Myanmar officials have not filed any charges against them pending further investigation. Those who have not committed any crime are expected to be sent home before Thein Sein visits. The number of detainees has not yet been confirmed, as they were held in several areas, the supreme commander said.

Nevertheless, according to Colonel Pornsak Pullsawat, a commander of the Thepsattri Force, Myanmar has detained 92 Thais, not 49 as earlier reported, and is moving them to a prison at Koh Song, which is also known as Victoria Point. 

Pornsak and his team travelled to the site in Myanmar where the Thais were detained, and the Myanmar army gave him the list of those detained for alleged encroachment for the purpose of growing rubber trees and marijuana.

“From the list, there are a total of 92 Thais detained – 82 men and 10 women – not 49 as earlier reported … The Myanmar army will transfer the detainees to a prison at Victoria Point, known as Koh Song,” he said.

The detainees were rounded up on July 4 by three companies of Myanmar troops. They were accused of cutting down trees and clearing an area to plant para rubber trees at Victoria Point. Thai Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said the Myanmar authorities discovered military weapons during the operation, although the Thais have not been charged with any such offence.

Pornsak said Thais found not to be involved with weapons or growing marijuana would be charged with illegal entry. Those considered innocent of offences other than illegal entry would certainly be allowed to return to Thailand through a checkpoint between Victoria Point and Ranong’s Muang district.

The Myanmar side has promised to take good care of the detainees, he said. Pornsak also showed the list of 92 detainees and said his unit would open a centre within the Thepsattri Force’s barracks in Ranong’s Muang district in the next few days to cooperate with relatives of the detainees.