Relatives of detainees await outcome of discussions between Thein Sein and Yingluck
Play
Families and relatives of the Thais detained in Myanmar on Monday have waiting expectantly for the results of discussions between visiting Myanmar President Thein Sein and the Thai premier.
They travelled from Surat Thani province and arrived in Ranong province this morning to wait for the outcome of the meeting.
Myanmar troops arrested 92 Thais 82 men and 10 women on July 4 in Victoria Point opposite Ranong’s Kra Buri district for allegedly encroaching on its land to cultivate rubber and marijuana. The troops reportedly seized weapons during the raid.
Myanmar troops arrested 92 Thais 82 men and 10 women on July 4 in Victoria Point opposite Ranong’s Kra Buri district for allegedly encroaching on its land to cultivate rubber and marijuana. The troops reportedly seized weapons during the raid.
Weerathum Yimwan from Khiri Ratthanikhom district said his six relatives are among 92 Thais detained in Myanmar.
“I’m very happy that the Thai prime minister will raise the issue with President Thein Sein. The discussion between them gave me and other families hope that they would be freed soon,” he said. He and the others will wait in Ranong to welcome the Thais if they are freed after the discussion.
He claimed that the Thai detainees unintentionally encroached on Myanmar soil as they were lured to believe that the land was in Thai territory.
Meanwhile an informed source said that Myanmar has already finished questioning the detainees and they would be charged with illegal entry, encroaching, destroying lands without permission, farming marijuana, possession of war weapons and resisting arrests.
It is expected that the Thais who are charged with such offences as illegal entry and unintentional encroachment on forest land, which are not considered serious offences, would be sent to court and a decision on their fate would be at the court’s discretion.
Thein Sein meanwhile arrived at the Thai Government House on Monday to begin the second day official of his visit to Thailand. His original visit set for June was postponed as it coincided with that of Myanmar’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
He arrived on Sunday and travelled to Laem Chabang Port in the eastern seaboard province of Chon Buri to be briefed on its operation.
On Monday, he and Yingluck will witness the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on development projects in Myanmar, covering the Dawei Special Economic Zone and related projects before giving a joint press conference.
President Thein will visit the Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha temple on Tuesday before returning home.
The threeday visit to Thailand by the Myanmar President is his first since taking office in March last year.
