BANGKOK, July 23 – Myanmar President Thein Sein said on Monday that he would consider reducing the punishment for 92 Thai nationals now detained for encroaching on the neighbour’s territory after legal action is taken against them, said the Thai government spokesperson on Monday.
Government spokesperson Sansanee Nakpong disclosed the information as visiting Myanmar President Thein Sein met Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at Government House on the second day of his three-day visit.
The leaders held talks covering various issues including mutual economic development, combatting illicit drug problems and the detention the Thais in Myanmar.
Ms Sansanee said the Myanmar president assured Ms Yingluck that he would consider reduced punishment for the detained Thai nationals but they will have to go through legal procedures first as some of them possessed firearms and were involved with illicit drugs.
After the convictions have been issued, the president said he will consider the reduction of their punishment, according to the spokesperson.
The 92 Thai villagers were detained for encroaching into Myanmar territory. They claimed they were lured by a broker to clear the land beyond the areas authorised by the Myanmar authorities for Thais to use as cultivated areas.
They have been detained in Myanmar’s Kawthaung province, opposite Thailand’s border province of Ranong since July 4.
Thailand’s foreign ministry spokesperson Thani Thongpakdi said today that the 92 Thais would be tried on July 27 on varied charges including illegal entry, arms and illegal drug possession.
