ncr
04-04-05, 06:38 PM
Thought I'd paste the whole article here, as the Bangkok Post weblinks are known not to be reliable:
BORDER / THAI-BURMESE RELATIONS
Rangoon refuses to discontinue river embankment construction
SUPAMART KASEM
Tak _ Burma has continued with the construction of a concrete embankment on the Moei River despite a protest by Thai border authorities not to do so as it was in violation of their bilateral agreement.
Col Pratinan Saihassadi, chairman of the Thai-Burmese Border Committee in Mae Sot, sent a letter on March 25 to his Burmese counterpart in Myawaddy, Lt-Col Kyaw Zeya, demanding an immediate halt to the construction. "Its construction would not only change the water course and cause soil erosion on the Thai side of the river, but also cause other problems for Thai villagers. The project should not continue without first winning the approval of the joint border committee,'' it said.
But Col Pratinan said construction work was still continuing on the Burmese bank in Myawaddy town, opposite Mae Sot district in Tak, and Burmese authorities have not responded to the Thai protest.
The Moei River was a source of several conflicts between Thailand and Burma over the past two decades. At least three spots in the area remain unsettled as the two countries try to demarcate their river border.
Bangkok and Rangoon have agreed at all levels of their joint meetings that any construction on territorial waters need approval from the two countries.
Col Pratinan, who is also commander of the Fourth Infantry Regiment Task Force, said although relations between Thailand and Burma were generally warm, such selfish behaviour would only work against the best interests of the two countries. He said the Third Army, which was responsible for the northern region's border security, had also been informed of the Thai protest.
The construction of the 500-metre-long concrete embankment is located north of the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge as part of a plan to prevent floods in Myawaddy. But some sections of the wall were being erected up to 200 metres off the Burmese river bank.
BORDER / THAI-BURMESE RELATIONS
Rangoon refuses to discontinue river embankment construction
SUPAMART KASEM
Tak _ Burma has continued with the construction of a concrete embankment on the Moei River despite a protest by Thai border authorities not to do so as it was in violation of their bilateral agreement.
Col Pratinan Saihassadi, chairman of the Thai-Burmese Border Committee in Mae Sot, sent a letter on March 25 to his Burmese counterpart in Myawaddy, Lt-Col Kyaw Zeya, demanding an immediate halt to the construction. "Its construction would not only change the water course and cause soil erosion on the Thai side of the river, but also cause other problems for Thai villagers. The project should not continue without first winning the approval of the joint border committee,'' it said.
But Col Pratinan said construction work was still continuing on the Burmese bank in Myawaddy town, opposite Mae Sot district in Tak, and Burmese authorities have not responded to the Thai protest.
The Moei River was a source of several conflicts between Thailand and Burma over the past two decades. At least three spots in the area remain unsettled as the two countries try to demarcate their river border.
Bangkok and Rangoon have agreed at all levels of their joint meetings that any construction on territorial waters need approval from the two countries.
Col Pratinan, who is also commander of the Fourth Infantry Regiment Task Force, said although relations between Thailand and Burma were generally warm, such selfish behaviour would only work against the best interests of the two countries. He said the Third Army, which was responsible for the northern region's border security, had also been informed of the Thai protest.
The construction of the 500-metre-long concrete embankment is located north of the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge as part of a plan to prevent floods in Myawaddy. But some sections of the wall were being erected up to 200 metres off the Burmese river bank.