US Embassy in Thailand issues security alert due to violence near Myanmar border

Mortar shells and rocket-propelled grenades from Myanmar have landed in Thai border towns in the Tak and Mae Hong Son provinces. With the ongoing violence between the Burmese military and ethnic armies following the February coup now with clashes near Thai border towns, the US Embassy in Thailand has issued a security alert and is now requiring all US government employees travelling to Tak and Mae Hong Son to have their plans reviewed in advance.

The U.S. Embassy informs U.S. citizens in Thailand that beginning in April 2021 there have been incidents of mortar shells and rocket-propelled grenades landing in Thailand in areas near the Thailand-Myanmar border.  U.S. government employees travelling to Tak Province and Mae Hong Son Province for official purposes must now have their travel plans reviewed in advance.

Since the military coup in Myanmar, ousting the country’s elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, an estimated 850 people have been killed by security forces. Some of them were protesting the military takeover. Some of them were children who were at home when troops opened fire in their neighbourhood.

The predominant armed wing of the Karen National Union has openly opposed the coup. Over the past few months, clashes between the ethnic army and the state military have been close to Thai border towns, sending Karen villages fleeing to Thailand. In some incidents, gunshots and explosions from the clashes in the neighbouring country could be heard in Thailand.