Myanmar
- World News
Myanmar preparing to shut down import of Thai soft drinks via land transport
Thailand’s Commerce Minister is preparing to hold urgent talks with Myanmar following the news that Burmese officials are planning a ban on the import of Thai soft drinks over land. Jurin Laksanawisit says the reason for the ban is not known, with Myanmar insisting only imports via ship will be allowed. This ramps up the cost for Thai businesses and…
- Thailand News
Karen army takes over Burmese military base along Thai-Myanmar border
A military base in Myanmar near the Thai border was reportedly taken over by an ethnic army. Since the February 1 military coup in Myanmar, ousting the country’s democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, an estimated 750 protesters and civilians have been killed by security forces, leading to clashes with ethnic armies. Many ethnic armies support the anti-coup movement,…
- World News
ASEAN nations agree to appoint envoy to broker cross-party talks in Myanmar
Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have agreed to appoint an envoy to act as mediator in cross-party talks in Myanmar. The country has been rocked by months of violence following a February 1 military coup in which the democratically-elected government of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted. The leader of the coup, Min Aung…
- World News
ASEAN leaders speak about Saturday’s Myanmar summit
In Jakarta on Saturday, leaders of the ASEAN countries met to convince Burmese junta leader Min Aung Hlaing to work with them towards progress. Full cover from The Thaiger of what was discussed at the meeting can be found here. During and after the meetings, nation leaders and representatives voiced their concerns and goals regarding the crisis in Myanmar. Tim…
- World News
PM Prayut will skip ASEAN summit addressing Myanmar situation, says he needs to deal with Covid situation
Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will skip out of attending the Asean summit in Jakarta, Indonesia this Saturday, saying he needs to stay to deal with the country’s Covid-19 situation. The summit was to specially address the worsening situation in the neighbouring country of Myanmar, which saw a military coup February 1. The decision for PM Prayut to skip out is…
- World News
Myanmar summit Saturday tests ASEAN’s effectiveness
Leaders from the 10 countries of ASEAN will meet Saturday at a summit to discuss the crisis in Myanmar in what many see as a credibility test for the organisation. As the military junta in Myanmar have ramped up violence and lethal force against pro-democracy protestors, the country is descending into what the UN high commissioner for human rights referred…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Vaccine passports announced, hospital-dodgers to be prosecuted | April 21
The president of the Thai Hotels Association says many properties are now considering shutting down for the entire low season as a result of the Covid-19 resurgence. They claim that smaller hotels simply don’t necessarily have the resources of the larger chains and are struggling with cash flow and crippled by low tourist demand. They say many are considering shutting…
- World News
PM Prayut will send Foreign Minister to Myanmar summit
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced that he won’t attend the ASEAN summit regarding Myanmar, but will send Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai in his place. The summit, to be held in Jakarta this Saturday will address the increasingly dangerous situation in Myanmar where fear is growing that the ongoing protests against the February 1 coup could descend into civil war. The meeting…
- World News
Myanmar junta leader to attend ASEAN summit, activists appalled
Myanmar’s junta or military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, is expected to attend an ASEAN summit in Jakarta where representatives of the bloc are expected to discuss Myanmar’s situation. Thailand’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Tanee Sangrat, made the announcement. “I can confirm that the Brunei Chair has proposed the date April 24 with the venue at the Secretariat in Jakarta. Several leaders…
- World News
Is spraying disinfectant on the Thai-Burmese border effective?
Some controversy exists over the Royal Thai Army attempting to sterilize areas of the Thailand-Myanmar border by spraying disinfectant along the border region. The army sprayed areas set up as a temporary holding facility for many Burmese refugees. The move drew condemnation from critics who claimed the disinfectant was not effective and not worth the expense of implementation. A spokesperson…
- World News
Red paint in Burmese streets mark 700+ deaths
Marking over 700 deaths in the Burmese military crackdown, anti-coup protesters in Myanmar are splashing red paint across the streets of Yangon to represent the blood of those killed in the growing crisis. Myanmar has ground to a halt as the military junta attempt to silence opposition to their February 1 takeover with deadly force. 714 deaths have been verified…
- World News
Myanmar could descend into a civil war comparable to Syria- UN
A top UN official is warning that Myanmar could follow that of Syria in terms of descending into a bloody civil war, unless the violence subsides. Michele Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights is calling on all countries with influence to apply concerted pressure on the ruling military junta to end its campaign of repression and the slaughtering…
- World News
$85 to retrieve the dead after bloody Burmese military clash
Activists say the Burmese military is charging US$85 to families to recover the bodies that security forces killed in last Friday’s violent clash. The city of Bago, just northeast of Yangon, was raided by military forces with 82 people killed according to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a local advocacy group. Since the February 1 coup, the military has been…
- World News
UN special envoy in Thailand to meet Foreign Minister about Myanmar crisis
The UN’s special envoy on Myanmar is meeting with Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai in ongoing diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution for the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. But Thai officials have put her quarantine ahead of the needs of the Burmese people with Christine Schraner Burgener, who arrived in Bangkok yesterday, having to spend 7 days in ASQ…
- World News
Burmese refugees are being aided, PM Prayut assures
Burmese refugees along the Thai-Myanmar border are being provided with humanitarian assistance according to a statement by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday. PM Prayut spoke about the growing crisis at Government House Wednesday after a cabinet meeting. He said that the two countries, since they are neighbouring, need to be in agreement and work together and Thailand can’t take sharp independent…
- World News
London’s anti-coup Burmese Ambassador locked from embassy
In London, the Myanmar Ambassador has been tossed from his own embassy, locked out because of his stance against the military junta in his country. The lockout occurred as a result of Kyaw Zwar Minn’s breaking ranks with the Burmese military leadership and calling for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the civilian leader who was jailed when the…
- World News
Thai Foreign Minister says Karen refugees were not forced back to Myanmar
Following reports and criticism on Thailand forcing Karen refugees back across the Myanmar border, Foreign Minister and Deputy PM Don Pramudwinai says the claims are not true and that Thailand has been caring for refugees for decades. With the escalating violence in Myanmar following the February 1 military coup, many have fled to Thailand. The United Nations Human Rights Office…
- Thailand News
Thailand unlikely to join ASEAN in pressuring Myanmar junta to stop bloodshed
Thailand’s government is unlikely to join other members of ASEAN in calling for Myanmar’s junta to stop the bloodshed. Fears over receiving a flood of refugees across the Burmese border and damages to its military ties may be of more importance to the Kingdom, despite the government’s recent claims that it is “gravely concerned” over the situation in Myanmar. If…
- World News
10 rebel groups in Myanmar throw their support behind anti-coup protesters | VIDEO
Myanmar’s most prominent ethnic and political rebel groups are throwing their support behind the country’s anti-coup protesters. Yesterday, 10 of the groups convened a conference call to discuss the military leaders killing protesters and citizens. Nearly 600 Burmese citizens have now been killed in the violent crackdown that started after the February 1 coup that ousted the government of Aung…
- World News
Fears grow in Myanmar as military junta orders internet shutdown
Pro-democracy activists in Myanmar are desperately trying to find alternative communication channels as the country’s internet blackout worsens. On Thursday, the military ordered internet providers to cut off wireless broadband access, despite businesses in the country calling for a halt to the ongoing disruption to service. Internet provider Ooredoo texted customers to inform them that the Burmese military has issued…
- World News
“Inside job” allegations as Yangon malls linked to Burmese military burn down
2 Yangon department stores with links to the Burmese military have been burnt down overnight, with some saying it was an inside job. The Ruby Mart, in Kyauktadar Township, and The Gandamar Wholesale Center in Mayangone Township, are both affiliated with the military junta, and some suspect the fires were started with the intention of blaming pro-democracy protesters. Thai PBS…
- World News
Police arrest 2 Lao men, seize 550 kilograms of methamphetamine at Mekong River bank
In another drug bust by the Mekong River, police seized 550 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine valued at around 275 million baht. Methamphetamine trafficking across the river from Laos to Thailand has spiked since the Myanmar coup. Many militant groups in Myanmar border towns rely on synthetic drug production as a main source of income. With tightened patrol along the Thai-Myanmar…
- World News
Government has repatriation plan for Thai citizens if Burmese situation deteriorates
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has formulated a plan to evacuate Thai citizens from Myanmar should the situation deteriorate further. Spokesman Tanee Sangrat says the Thai Embassy in Yangon has confirmed that protests against the ruling junta are ongoing, but deliveries of food have not been affected. According to a report in the Bangkok Post, Tanee says the…
- World News
2,000 Burmese refugees sheltering in Mae Hong Son, northern Thailand
The governor of the northern province of Mae Hong Son says around 2,000 Karen refugees are sheltering in the province as the bloody conflict in Myanmar continues. Sithichai Jindaluang says local officials have provided shelter and other necessities to refugees in the districts of Mae Sariang and Khun Yuam. Violence in Myanmar has escalated since the military coup of February…
- World News
Covid cluster on China-Myanmar border locked down
A city on the China-Myanmar border has gone into lockdown today, citing 9 Covid infections including several Burmese citizens. Ruili, a Chinese city in the Yunnan province in the far southwest of the country has been locked down with all residents being instructed to stay home for a week. The 9 newly confirmed Coronavirus infections included 6 symptomatic cases, along…
- Politics News
US State Department tells non-essential diplomats from Myanmar to leave
The US State Department is telling non-essential diplomats from Myanmar to leave, after hundreds of anti-coup protesters have been killed. Since the February 1 coup by Myanmar’s military, which removed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy from elected power, more than 510 people have been killed. “The Burmese military has detained and deposed elected government officials.…
- World News
Drug trafficking in Thailand spikes following Myanmar coup, volunteers keep close eye on border
Thailand has faced a spike in methamphetamine trafficking across the Mekong River following the military coup in neighbouring Myanmar. Local volunteers along the river are now helping out to identify potential drug smugglers disguised as fishermen. The volunteers tip off police when they see suspicious activity since they can’t make arrests and confronting a drug trafficker could be dangerous. One…
- World News
ASEAN summit will discuss situation in Myanmar and crisis facing Karen people
Thailand’s Foreign Minister says next month’s ASEAN summit in Brunei will discuss the ongoing crisis in Myanmar and the plight of the country’s Karen people. Don Pramudwinai says the Thai government is monitoring the situation closely, amid reports that thousands of Karen people have fled into Thailand to escape the violence of the Burmese military junta. “I cannot reveal the…
- World News
Burmese anti-coup activists hurl garbage into streets after over 500 killed
Myanmar’s anti-coup activists are hurling garbage into the streets after more than 500 people have been killed since the junta took over. Protesters held candle-lit vigils for the deceased last night as yesterday saw 14 civilians killed, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. According to witnesses, security forces fired a much heavier-calibre type of weapon yesterday to clear…
- World News
Thai government denies Burmese refugees are being pushed back over the border
The Thai government has denied media reports that Burmese refugees fleeing the conflict in Myanmar are being pushed back over the border. Tanee Sangrat from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs insists that news reports claiming some Karen villagers who arrived in Thailand had been forced to return to Myanmar are false. “Those reports cite information solely from non-official sources without…
