Support for medicines to treat incarcerated Thais sought
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Myanmar has asked Thailand to support the provision of medicines and medical supplies after some of the 92 Thais jailed in Kawthaung province fell ill, according to Thailand's Township Border Committee (TBC) chairman Col Pornsak Poonsawat.
Col Pornsak, commander of the 25th Infantry Regiment task force, said Myanmar officials had requested Thailand's support in supplying drugs and medical equipment to help treat Thais detained in the prison.
Thai News Agency said the request was made via the Thai embassy in Myanmar after some detainees became ill.
The border committee coordinated with Ranong Hospital for medicines to treat high blood pressure, stress, maternity concerns and provide household remedies, he said.
The Myanmar authorities also asked the Thai authorities to compile a name list of relatives of the 92 detainees before allowing for one member of each family to visit a detainee in jail.
A court in Myanmar’s Kawthaung province sentenced the 92 Thais to three years and six months each for deforestation and illegal entry, the first two of five counts with which all were charged.
The punishment did not include other three counts under investigation by the Myanmar authorities: growing illicit drugs including cannabis and kratom leaf; possession of firearms and military weapons and obstruction of official duties.
The 92 Thai villagers - 82 men and 10 women -- were detained for encroaching on Myanmar territory. The suspects maintain they were lured by a broker to clear the land which they later learned was beyond the areas authorised by the Myanmar officials for Thais to use as cultivation areas.
Col Pornsak said that until now there was no development on the trial for other offences that some Thais may face.
Some of them earlier sentenced to three and a half years for illegal entry or deforestation and not involved with other serious offences could have their sentence commuted or receive a pardon later, he said.
