------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: November 13, 1995 Issue #277 Noted in Passing: At least I will let the world know it is not only Thais hurting Burmese, but Burmese hurting Thais, too. - Governor Siri Chavanavirach of Ranong, Thailand. (quoted in: NATION: HIGH-SEA KILLINGS REOPEN THAI- BURMESE RIFTS) HEADLINES: ========== ECONOMIST: MYANMAR - BRING BICYCLE AND SLEEPING-BAG INDIAN EXPRESS: SUU KYI'S FRIEND TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR HER BKK POST: KHIN NYUNT TAKES HARD-LINE STANCE ON IMPROVING TIES NATION: SPY CHARGES PUT DISSIDENT CIRCLES ON EDGE NATION: BOOKWORM IS LINK TO A SEVERED PAST NATION: HIGH-SEA KILLINGS REOPEN THAI-BURMESE RIFTS NATION: THAI-BURMESE DIPLOMATIC TRIPS PLANNED AS NEW BKK POST: BURMESE WOMEN IN THE THAI SEX INDUSTRY ---------------------------------------------------------- Produced with the support of the Burma Information Group (B.I.G) and the Research Department of the ABSDF {MTZ} The BurmaNet News is an electronic newspaper covering Burma. Articles from newspapers, magazines, newsletters, the wire services and the Internet as well as original material are published. 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S.Sutcliffe" World Wide Web: FreeBurma@POBox.com Volunteering: christin@ksc.net.th [Feel free to suggest more areas of coverage] *********************** ECONOMIST: MYANMAR - BRING BICYCLE AND SLEEPING-BAG November 11, 1995 Bagan For poor, isolated and repressive regimes, foreign tourists represent both opportunity and threat. The government of Myanmar is accentuating the positive. The New Light of Myanmar, mouthpiece of the ruling military junta, bluntly editorialised on November 3rd that tourism "can bring in foreign exchange in large amounts in a short period". But the junta knows it can also bring foreign ideas, and headaches for the secret police. In Bagan (Pagan), a tourist site, the junta has tackled the dilemma with ruthless simplicity. It told the residents of "old Bagan" to move and reportedly arrested some who refused. They were ordered to build new homes in what is n They are not the only victims of Myanmar's drive for tourists. A report released on November 6th by Yozo Yokota, the United Nations' investigator into human rights in Myanmar, alleges that forced labour is being used to spruce up the country for foreign visitors in readiness for "Visit Myanmar Year 1996" The junta, which calls itself the State Law and Order Restoration Council, denies the accusation. Khin Nyunt, its "secretary-1" has said people are "contribut a is a way of "gaining merit", getting closer to Nirvana. In New Bagan, however, they have little time for Khin Nyunt and friends. The residents do not believe the pretext for their removal- archaeological excavation, says the junta. They think the junta wanted to clear the way for tourists and keep locals away from its generals, who frequently travel to Bagan to consult fortune tellers and gain merit of their own (with cash rather than sweated toil). On a vast plain of the Irrawaddy River, the area around Bagan is dotted with 2,250 surviving temples, pagodas, an monasteries built in the two centuries before Kublai Khan's Mongol hordes swept down from the north in the 1280s. It is a miracle of religious faith. Tourist hub, however, it is not. There are only about 343 hotel rooms, none of them luxurious. For indiv- idual travellers, local transport is still by rented bicycle or horse and cart. It is tourism for the hardy with a taste for the exotic. Originally, the aim of Visit Myanmar Year was to attract 500,000 visitors. Now. officials talk about 250,000 and stress that the year in question will not really get underway until the tourist high season begins in October 1996. But the new target is still over-ambitious. In 1988, the year of unrest that culminated in the junta's bloody seizure of power, fewer than 10,000 visitors came. Officials reckon that 100,000 will be the figure this year, most of them, about 60%, from Western Europe. Even if the number turns out to be well below 250,000, it is not clear how they will arrive, or where they will stay. There are 4,100 seats a week on international flights into the capital, Yangon - virtually the only way in for tourists. Yangon has 1,900 hotel rooms and a further 1,500 being built. Desperate for foreign currency, the junta is serious about its tourist push. Myanmar's first beach resort is being developed; 379 private tour operators have been licensed, and the state has relinquished its monopoly on air travel. Air Mandalay, a joint venture with a Sinagporean company, is already flying. Yangon Air, a Thai joint venture, was established on November 1st. At the launch party, Khin Nyunt quoted Rudyard Kipling, the poet of British imperialism. He said he hoped to disprove Kipling's line that "East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet." In New Bagan, residents also hope Kipling was wrong. Westerners are troublesome and impious, but they are preferred to the junta. The entrances to the most active pagodas are lined by money-changers and hawkers. The border between the sacred and the profane is drawn eccentrically in Myanmar. In a pagoda, everyone goes barefoot, but maroon-robed monks cadge and smoke cigarettes. The gold-domed Shweizigon pagoda is like a spiritual funfair, with mechanical dioramas of the Buddha's life. In the long run, tourism poses another threat - to the preservation of ancient and unique traditions. But Myanmar's (sic) are resilient. If they can survive the junta, they can survive Visit Myanmar Year. ******************************************* INDIAN EXPRESS: SUU KYI'S FRIEND TO RECEIVE AWARD ON HER BEHALF November 11, 1995 By Diplomatic Editor typed by the News & Information Dept. of FTUB (West Burma) New Delhi, Nov 10: Myanmar's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has conveyed to India her inability to visit New Delhi to received Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding. The award, to be presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, will be received by her family friend, Daw Than Aye. The presentation ceremony will take place at Rashtrapati Bhan, where the President will hand over the award. Ms Suu Kyi has written to the Vice President, Mr K. R. Narayanan, chairman of the panel deciding the award, that she is unable to attend the ceremony. Her communication has avoided an unseemly controversy, which could have soured Indo-Myanmarese relations had Ms Suu Kyi decided to travel to India. ********************************** BKK POST: KHIN NYUNT TAKES HARD-LINE STANCE ON IMPROVING TIES November 10, 1995 by Wassana Nanum, Matchima Chanswangpuwana and Wanchai Waiirasasithorn Move comes as six Thais are killed in Burmese mutiny on the high seas A DEMAND by Rangoon for compensation for the deaths of three Burmese in a Mong Tai Army assault has taken Thai military leaders aback. The demand came as reports reached Bangkok that six Thai crewmen had been killed by Burmese aboard a trawler in Burmese waters on Sunday. A thorn in increasingly sensitive relations has been the murder of three Burmese crewmen aboard a Thai trawler in August. The call for compensation was made by Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, first secretary of the State Law and Order Restoration Council, to Gen Chetha Thanajaro, deputy army commander, in Rangoon, a source said yesterday. Deemed by the junta a precondition to improved ties, the Burmese said Bangkok should pay because Khun Sa's forces launched their attack on Tachilek from Thai soil. Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt told Gen Chetha he had to act because he would otherwise be accused of failing the Burmese people. It was initially reported that 30 Burmese soldiers were killed in the March attack but there was no word of civilian casualties. The Burmese junta claims three civilians were killed in the crossfire. The demand came out of the blue and was not raised by Maj-Gen Khet Sein, commander of Burma's Southeastern Force, when he met Gen Chetha for border committee talks in Mae Sot, Tak. The SLORC official was quoted as saying: "The quicker the issue is settled, the better it will be for relations." A Thai military official said: "It is beyond our understanding how Burma can make such a demand and hold us responsible for the incident." Gen Chetha was also told by the SLORC official that legal matters needed to be tackled before work on the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge could resume after the June 7 suspension. The source said the bridge issue could be complex because Burma was linking it to accusations that Thais laid rocks and built structures on the bank of the Moei River in Mae Sot which encroach upon Burmese territory. Thailand insists the rocks or concrete structures were built to offset the effects of a changing current and could not violate Burmese sovereignty. The source said Gen Chetha was also urged by Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt to settle the case of Burmese crew killed in August. The latest murders on the high seas involved the trawler Paknam 5 as it was reportedly fishing illegally in Burmese waters on November 5. A Thai crewman who jumped into the sea and was picked up by another Thai vessel two days later said 13 Burmese crew mutinied. The Burmese, using knives and wooden staves, attacked the Thais and dumped their bodies into the sea, said Supanya Ketchan, 16. Among the six believed killed was the skipper Supol Bampensri. Mr Supanya survived despite being stabbed in the waist, said Suthee Nangsue, owner of the 5.5-million-baht trawler, which was taken further into Burmese waters. Deputy Agriculture Minister Monthon Kraiwatnussorn suggested the cause of the conflict in both cases was the high-technology equipment on the vessels. Since Thai vessels were involved, he said, any action must be handled by Thai courts. Fisheries Department deputy director Kitjar Jaiyen said the latest development was unlikely to induce Rangoon to lift its ban on Thai trawlers even though the victims were Thai. It took place in Burmese waters, which had clearly been violated, Mr Kitjar said. Foreign Ministry representations would have to be tempered because Thailand could not be seen to be trying to protect wrongdoers, he said. Rangoon banned Thai trawlers after the three Burmese crewmen were murdered by Thais in August and said its forces would fire on any Thai. fishing vessel in its territorial waters. Several meetings have been held by high-ranking officials of the two countries but no significant progress has been made towards easing relations. Another meeting between Burmese Deputy Prime Minister Maung Maung Khin and Defence minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh is scheduled to be held here next week. The Burmese Deputy Premier is due for a five-day visit on November 14. Mr Kitjar said a number of Thai vessels were still defying the Burmese ban and he admitted there was little to stop them violating territorial waters of neighbouring countries. Tough new proposals, including a requirement that fishing vessels have international fishing licences and report all foreign voyages to official agencies, were being considered by the National Fishery Committee, he said. ***************************************************************** NATION: SPY CHARGES PUT DISSIDENT CIRCLES ON EDGE November 10, 1995 Aung Zaw on another round of finger pointed among Bangkok-based Burmese Police state, state of emergency, state of paranoia. Whatever it is called, Burma today is a country where nobody trusts anybody, so pervasive is the intelligence network set up by Burma's ruling generals. For Burmese students and dissidents who have escaped to Thailand, the situation is little better. In early September, a man calling himself Maung Maung sent a letter to Artit, a Thai-language magazine, claiming to know seven Burmese spies he said had infiltrated Burmese dissident groups based in the country. He stressed that his real intention in sending the letter was to flush out those who had been snooping around in Thailand. He later provided the names of the alleged seven "spies", but failed to provide any information on their activities, or any evidence to back up his accusations. He said that the seven were receiving instructions from Burma's military intelligence unit. That the ages of two spies fell between 40-50, one is 35, while the rest are under 30. Three of the alleged spies are former members of the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF), two are members of the Overseas National Students Organization of Burma (ONSOB), which is currently based in Bangkok, one is a former member of the Karen National Union (KNU), while another is a former member of the Burma Information Group (BIG). "Carrying their notebooks during dissident's meetings, the spies asked strange questions," wrote Maung Maung. The spies enjoy special privileges, he said. They have passports and receive salaries from Slorc. "If they are caught [by Thai police], they are freed almost immediately," he noted. The spy story is nothing new to most Burmese. In 1994, the Thai-language newspaper Naew Na published a front-page story quoting a source in Thailand's Foreign Ministry, who said Slorc, under the command of Lt Gen Khin Nyunt, was planning to send five spies to work in the Burmese defence office in Bangkok, with the aim of expanding its intelligence network and espionage activities. Not surprisingly, the allegations triggered more finger pointing in Bangkok. "Rubbish," said one of the accused spies, an asylum seeker in Bangkok. But the person added that two out of the seven are widely suspected to be spies. He had his own questions. "Who is Maung Maung?" "What is his real intention?" "Is he himself a spy?" "Is he trying to muddle things?" In spite of that, it would hardly be surprising even if the seven were found to be spies or informers for Slorc. Padoh Laina, a former KNU official, was one of the seven spies, according to the article in Artit. But a close friend of Laina said otherwise. "It's absolutely not true. " Sources in Chiang Mai said the rumour around the city was that Laina may be an informer. It was learned that Laina supported the Karen Buddhist group which broke away from the KNU earlier this year. Laina is currently in the US, added his friend. "If you don't like somebody, then spread a rumour that he/she is an informer or spy. But that is not right," said Than Oo, who is a former member of BIG. He is also alleged to be one of the seven spies. He said he had been preparing to send his own statement to Artit to refute the allegations. Whether or not that is true, it is a fact that Burma's military intelligence units keep a watchful eye on political opponents not only at home but also abroad, and particularly in Thailand where thousands of political dissidents have sought refuge. Soon after the September 1988 coup, thousands of activists fled to the jungle and came to Thailand. But they also included Slorc informers and infiltrators, who, however, declared themselves as freedom fighters. They then penetrated the many dissident groups that were based along the Burmese-Thai border. "They are around," said a former dissident who has been based in Chiang Mai since the 70s. "Many [informers and spies] masqueraded as traders, brokers and activists," he said. "They can speak both Thai and English," he added. After living in Thailand for almost two decades, he stressed that he takes caution when meeting or talking with someone on the phone. "You'll never know what can happen to you." Indeed, there is a danger and responsibility in making such accusations. "It is a touch-and-go situation. If we do not have strong evidence, we should not impute somebody, as he or she would be in serious danger," said a senior member of the ABSDF. Without doubt, the price of exposure IS quite high. In 1992 in Kachin state, approximately 15 alleged spies were executed at a student army camp. But the mystery was that none was ever actually proved of really being spies. Analysts at that time believed the execution was an offshoot of a power struggle and jealousy within the ABSDF. But because of this, many innocent men and women have either disappeared or been killed. The question that remains is, did Slorc need to send 15 spies to a student camp alone? Sources close to Bangkok-based dissident groups said they believed there are spies and informers who have already penetrated the inner circle of opposition groups and community of asylum-seekers in Thailand. Moreover, there are believed to be more in the ABSDF and other organizations. The well-placed source noted that some informers who may be former activists are working for Thai intelligence units and not for Slorc. ''We know who they are and what they are doing, but we cannot do anything," said the source. "The informers" attend the meetings and gather the records, the source added. But if it is not in the jungle, execution or indefinite detention are out of the question, said a member of the ABSDF based on the Burmese-Thai border. "We have caught spies and informers [since 1998]," said the member, who requested anonymity. He believes the ABSDF was targeted by Slorc and has been heavily infiltrated since 1988. It is believed that the ABSDF headed by Dr Naing Aung still has under detention two or three spies. "Whenever there was a meeting, they [spies] raised odd issues which led to serious conflicts among us," said the ABSDF senior member. He added that he himself had investigated three spies sent by Slorc. He described the obligation of spies: "Their duty is not to kill or harm anyone but to create conflicts and divisions among us." The spies, he said, were very divisive at meetings. Later, the ABSDF discovered a spy ring, he recalled, after one spy confessed. It was believed that many alleged spies or informers were severely tortured. One Burmese man staying in Thailand said with anger after he learned of the Artit story: "If they are spies, they must be killed." One former activist was bewildered to see the recent article because his friend was one of the seven spies alluded to. He asked: "I stayed with him [alleged spy] for four years and now he is accused of being a spy? How can I believe this? Who can I trust?" Are they [seven alleged spies] working for Slorc? There is a current impasse among Burmese dissidents. But Slorc is a winner in this "spy battle" with its foes. Dissidents are divided and do not trust each other. Aung Zaw is a free-lance writer. He contributed this article to The Nation. ***************************************************************** NATION: BOOKWORM IS LINK TO A SEVERED PAST November 10, 1995 Gary Way talks to one of Burma's last book restorers At a downtown Rangoon bookstore, in a lane which proprietor Ay Ban Kyi "choose for it's quietness", the old man patiently inserts a page into an old hard-cover book. When he completes the task he leans back, content another piece of Burmese literature has been preserved. "It's dying out," he said, waving to the book before him and referring to his craft as a restorer of ancient books. "I am alone in Southeast Asia, the younger men are not interested in books anymore, only in television. The recent increase in road traffic and construction outside his door, as the country slowly lifts it's veil to the outside world, may have defeated his choice of location, but not his determination to save what remains of Burma's literary. Regarded as the countries foremost expert in the preservation of literature, the 66-year old "former merchant" has been patiently repairing and collecting old books and in the process giving scholars and universities within- and outside of Burma historical insights on the nation's cultural past. Probably referred to as a harmless "bookworm" in the West, a term he accepts as a compliment, his undertakings have a far more serious aspect in Burma where printing presses have laid idle for the past 30 years. Except for occasional outbursts of government propaganda, a large vacuum has been left in the literary Though his subjects are firmly rooted in the past, he hopes the preservation of his precious books the country will provide a base from which literature will once again re-emerge. "The literature is still developing in Burma, for the last 800 to a 1,000 years we have been writing in prose form, only after 1900 we started writing in normal form." Kyi said. As the National Library is still off limits to foreigners and most of the books laying in boxes waiting to be repaired, Kyi is also constantly sought out as a source of reference by visiting scholars, diplomats and journalists. Though he admits restoring books is usually passed from generation to generation he explained it was the socialist-led coup in 1962 that led him to become involved in books. "I never studied I only read, by 1964 everything was gone, my hobby was books so I started selling them" Pointing to some of the 50,000 books that he has since collected, he chuckled "I am rich in books only, if you look for money it's not such a good business." Mainly specializing in Burma, religion, philosophy and Southeast Asia, he explained how many of the books came into his possession. "Some Englishmen married Burmese ladies, their children grew up to be ambassadors and brought me books back, then diplomats from other countries took them away during the socialist regime." he said. Though loathe to lose more books overseas, he's resigned that it may be the best place for them, with the lack of air conditioning, high humidity and the abundance of paper eating insects in Burma, his rare books are rapidly decaying. "The old books are very hard to find now, the paper they were printed on is no good, we have plenty of books in Burma but they just disintegrate before they are 75 years old." he said. "I think they are living things, they are not a commodity. I actually like second-hand books. The printing industry started 500 years ago each book has a little something of it." Since 1992, the 20-year ban on the import of books has been slightly eased, and politically neutral topics such as physics and accounting and novels such as George Orwell's Burmese Days, with it's satirical portrayal of British colonial rule, are allowed for sale. Though he doesn't really care for them, Kyi stocks such titles and coffee table books which he sells to tourists to supplement his income. With the starting price of a rare book at $100, and written in Burmese, he is well aware they are out of the reach of the average citizen and only of interest to visiting scholars. Though the government has relaxed its grip on power and reopened the universities after a closing them down in 1989, there are few other signs pointing to a literary renaissance on the horizon. Newspapers are still strictly controlled by the Ministry of Information and the publication of any form of literature without official permission is strictly prohibited. Several of Burma's leading writers have also been arrested and jailed for "dissident activities". With this in mind, Kyi looks to the future with a patience garnered from the years painstakingly spent repairing his books, "We have so many clubs to form, history, publishing ... but now it is not possible, we have a long way to go." **************************************************************** NATION: HIGH-SEA KILLINGS REOPEN THAI-BURMESE RIFTS November 11, 1995 RANONG Governor Siri Chavanavirach yesterday urged the Burmese authorities to help arrest 13 Burmese suspects involved In n the killing of six Thai fishermen aboard a Thai vessel off the Burmese coast last Sunday. He urged the Burmese to reply within 10 days to the Thai request, saying that Burma should reciprocate Thailand's previous assistance in arresting the Thai fishermen who killed at least two Burmese co-workers aboard a Thai fishing boat in early August. Siri said the Burmese attack aboard the Paknamranong 5 has badly shaken Thai fishermens' morale, and that he would not let the victims' deaths be for nothing. "Even the Burmese considered [the Thai attack on the Burmese fishermen] so serious that they sealed off the border," he said. " As an administrative official, I will not let their [the Thais'] deaths be in vain. At least I will let the world know it is not only Thais hurting Burmese, but Burmese hurting Thais, too. Within 10 days the Burmese authorities will have to tell us why the Thais were killed and where the 13 Burmese [suspects] are," said the governor. He said he did not understand why the Burmese authorities have made no response to the disturbing incident, particularly as Thai authorities arrested the Thai crewmen involved in the August killings. "The Burmese must show their sincerity toward the problem. We have shown ours," he said. However, the governor said the border checkpoint at Ranong would not be closed for the moment. "We will wait to hear from them [the Burmese first," said the governor after a meeting with officials from other government agencies concerned. Supreme Commander Gen Wiroj Saengsanit yesterday said he believed the incident would not affect ongoing attempts to settle border disputes between the two countries. He believed the Burmese would agree to resume construction of the Thai-Burmese bridge across the Moei River when Burmese Deputy Prime Minister Maung Muang Khin meets his Thai counterpart, Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, next week. The Burmese minister was invited by the Thai government to pay an official five-day visit which begins next Tuesday. Thailand has sent several high-ranking officials to Rangoon to persuade the Burmese junta to reopen the three border passages with Thailand which have been closed since early this year after several border disputes and incidents. The Burmese also halted construction of the Moei River bridge at that time Burma closed Kawtiaung crossing with Thailand's southern Ranong province after the killing of two Burmese fishermen, and demanded that Thailand arrest the culprits. While Thailand considered the matter a private-sector crime, the government promptly arrested the Thai suspects in an attempt to improve bilateral relations and convince the Burmese to reopen the frontier. Fisheries Department Secretary-General, Plodprasop Surasawadee said the incident should be settled following legal procedures, and the Burmese crewmen sent to Thailand's court since the killings occurred on a Thai boat. He said Thailand had turned over the suspects of the August killings to the Burmese authorities and Rangoon should reciprocate. However, he suggested a joint-office with absolute authority of middle level officials of the two countries be set up to oversee fishing in both countries' waters. He said the proposed office could be under a government agency, and pointed out that the joint-office with Vietnam has been successful. Plodprasop also suggested a joint patrol be launched to ensure security over territorial borders. The Navychai and Paknamranong 5 vessels were last week attacked in Burmese territorial waters and six Thai crewmen were killed. Burmese seamen mutinied last Saturday morning, according to the surviving Thai seaman who jumped overboard the Paknamranong 5 and was rescued by a passing boat. Sophanya Ketwan, 16, reported the incident to Paknam police on Thursday. He said the 13 Burmese of the total 20 crew members, mounted a mutiny on the boat owned by Somkiet Sae Teo and kippered by Suphol Bampensri. # Relations between Thailand and Malaysia have been maintained despite Malaysian authorities "excessive use of force" against a Thai trawler poaching in Malaysian waters, according to Supreme Commander Gen Wiroj Saengsanit. On Monday, a Malaysian navy vessel fired "warning" shots at a Thai trawler fishing in its waters, which killed the captain and a boy on board. It was later discovered that the vessel was riddled with bullet holes. Army Commander Gen Pramon Palasin said the incident was treated "too severely" by the Malaysian navy as the boat was only "a small fishing trawler". *************************************************************** NATION: THAI-BURMESE DIPLOMATIC TRIPS PLANNED AS NEW WOUNDS OPENED November 11, 1995 BURMA and Thailand are exchanging high-level visits over the next few days amid renewed border tension sparked by the brutal killings of Thai fishermen by Burmese crews. Burmese Deputy Prime Minister Maung Maung Khin will lead a high-level delegation on a five-day official visit to Thailand on Tuesday. He will be accompanied by the Minister of Hotels and Tourism Lt Gen Kyaw Ba the Minister for National Planning Brig Gen David Abel and five other deputy ministers from the ministries of energy construction, livestock breeding and fisheries, home and foreign affairs. The Burmese deputy premier and his 26-member delegation will proceed from the airport to the Grand Palace where respects will be paid to the late Princess Mother before calling on Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yonchaiyudh, his host, at the Defence Ministry. In the afternoon he will visit the Stock Market, call on Prime Minister Banharn Silapa-archa, and attend a welcome dinner hosted by Chavalit. Maung Maung Khin will visit the office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand on Wednesday before playing a round of golf. On Thursday, the Burmese delegation will visit the Petroleum Authority of Thailand, the Board of Investment and then fly on to Nakhon Ratchasima to visit the Worldtech 95 fair, and later spend a night in Pattaya. He will visit the Eastern Sea Board, the Petrochemical company and play golf. Chavalit will host another dinner in Pattaya. The Burmese team will visit Bangpakong industrial estate before travelling back to Bangkok. They will return to Burma in the late afternoon. The government hopes that the trip by Maung Maung Khin, the most senior Burmese official to visit Thailand, will help improve bilateral relations which have been strained since early this year following several border conflicts. The Burmese junta, known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc), has accused Thailand of abetting and supporting anti-Rangoon ethnic Burmese guerrilla groups, including opium warlord Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army (MTA), and of reclaiming land on the bank of the Moei River. Slorc retaliated by closing the Tachilek and Myawaddy border crossings with Thailand and suspended the construction of a Thai-Burmese bridge across the Moei River. It later shut the last border checkpoint at southern Kawthaung after the killing of Burmese fishermen aboard a Thai fishing vessel by Thai crewmen in early August. Informed sources said they had expected Maung Maung Khin to announce the reopening of at least one border checkpoint during his trip here. But the killing on Nov 5 of Thai fishermen by a group of Burmese aboard a Thai trawler has cast doubts over the announcement, they said. They said Thailand. had tried every possible means to appease Slorc and had sent several senior government officials and military officers to Rangoon to convince the junta to reverse its decision. The sources observed that Slorc was playing a hard game and despite efforts by the government to please, including the arrest of Thai suspects in the killing o Burmese fishermen and the dismantling shophouses on the disputed Moei Rive bank, Rangoon still had not heeded the Thai requests. Foreign Minister Kasem S Kasemsri will tomorrow embark on a hectic two-day visit to Burma where he will try to improve soured bilateral ties. Kasem will be the latest in a series of senior government and military officials to make a trip to Rangoon in the past few months in an attempt to convince the Burmese junta to reopen border checkpoints closed since early this year and to resume the construction of the Moei River bridge linking the two countries. The foreign minister said earlier that his visit was aimed at paving the way for a visit by Prime Minister Banharn Silapaarcha. Banharn would be the first premier to travel to Burma since premier Prem Tinsulanond about a decade ago. Kasem will call on Lt Gen Khin Nyunt, a senior member in the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) tomorrow afternoon. His Burmese counterpart U Ohn Gyaw will host a welcome dinner for him that day. On Monday morning he will hold talks with Ohn Gyaw. After the meeting he will make a courtesy call on Slorc leader Gen Than Shwe and afterwards meet Trade Minister Tun Kyi. Kasem will fly back to Bangkok- in the afternoon. *************************************************************** BKK POST: THE DANGER OF IGNORANCE: BURMESE WOMEN IN THE THAI SEX INDUSTRY November 4, 1995 (editor's note: not sure this is the correct date) By TANIDA SIRORATTANAKIL While many Thai prostitutes are leaving Thailand to earn a higher income in other richer countries, many women from neighboring countries, particularly the Burmese, are leaving their homes to ply the sex trade in Thailand. At present, Thailand not only exports but also imports prostitutes. The sex industry has grown, and consequently, the number of AIDS carriers has been higher. In this connection, the Foundation for Women has initiated a project called "HIV/AIDS Intervention for Burmese Women and Girls in Thailand," with the major objective of creating understanding about AIDS among Burmese and indigenous women in Thailand. The project also aims to present work opportunities other than the sex industry, to Burmese and other indigenous women in Thailand. According to an Asia Watch report here are about 30,000 Burmese women working in the sex industry in Thailand. "Compared to Thai prostitutes, they know nothing about AIDS, so most of them are in greater danger," said Siriporn Sirobanek, secretary-general of the Foundation. "They don't know how to protect themselves. They cannot even convince their customers to use a condom," she said. In a research done by the Foundation which interviewed 21 Burmese prostitutes between 18 and 22 years of age there emerged two major groups of Burmese prostitutes in Thailand. One group is composed of those who have been kidnapped or coerced. The other group is made up of women who freely chose to work in the sex trade, hoping to earn a big amount of money and improve the lives of their families in the provinces. "Many of them are below 18 years old, and few have finished elementary education," said Foundation researcher Praphakorn Wongrattananin. "They do not understand the Thai language, so all the AIDS and pregnancy prevention campaigns in Pasa Thai completely escape them," she said. Although many brothel owners encourage their prostitutes to convince patrons to use a condom, the sex workers are still exposed to the danger of HIV infection. Praphakorn told of some brothels that ostensibly promote the use of condoms to reassure customers that their brothels are clean but actually distribute substandard condoms. Praphakorn told of the case of a Burmese prostitute who was infected with the HIV virus although she was well-informed about AIDS had always asked her customers to use a condom during sexual intercourse "The tragedy happened because she was given low-quality condoms," said Praphakorn. In Ranong, a border province where it only takes the Burmese 30 minutes to cross to Thailand, the local prostitutes face a higher risk of AIDS infection more than In any other area. The province has over 100,000 Burmese labourers due to the expanding labour industry, which in turn causes helps the local sex industry to grow. However, since the Chuan Government launched the policy of sex industry suppression in 1993, there are fewer brothels now. Surprisingly though, the number of sex workers did not decrease much. Instead of working in brothels, Burmese women work as waitresses in restaurants. At the same time, they are also prostitutes: As a result, it has become even more difficult for officials and NGO workers to pinpoint those who need to be informed about the risks of AIDS infection. Prior to 1994, only two or three restaurants were in the sex trade. At present, there are as much as 30 restaurants in Ranong province that offer sex with the menu. Apart from the Koh Song-Ranong route, the Burmese women also come to Thailand through the Tachilek-Mae Sai route in Chiang Rai province. and the Myawaddy-Mae Sot route in Tak province. *****************************