BANGKOK, July 16 – The Myanmar authorities will first release about ten Thai women and children who were detained during a land encroachment incident earlier this month, Deputy Prime Minister Gen Yuthasak Sasiprapa said today.
The deputy prime minister reported progress in helping 92 Thai detainees still in Myanmar saying that a group of Thai officials with a Burmese language interpreter will travel to Koh Song to visit the detainees and to help them regarding their basic living conditions.
The Myanmar investigation is under way and legal action will be taken against those with weapons or illegal drugs in their possession. Anyone free of wrongdoing will be repatriated.
Myanmar troops arrested the Thais who allegedly cut trees and cleared the area to plant rubber trees inside Myanmar territory at Koh Song, opposite Ranong’s Kra Buri district on July 4.
Gen Yuthasak earlier said some 200 Thai nationals were lured by brokers to build homes and plant rubber trees in Myanmar.
He said that Thailand will discuss with Myanmar allowing Thais to rent the areas for cultivation.
