PRIME Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said today (March 22) that supplies going across the Thai-Myanmar border, shown in published photos, are being channeled on humanitarian principles and also is a matter of security, Siam Rath said.
Gen. Prayut mentioned that this is a different case from what occurred a few decades ago when there were both military bases and Myanmar people living on higher ground at the border area.
After negotiations it was agreed for them to come to lower ground because of difficulty in travelling back and forth across the border and for them to buy necessities on the Thai side.
“The area is not clear. We do not want them to go to higher ground and want them to come and buy necessities on our side of the border, directly from merchants. Don’t turn into the same story, it is a different case, don’t combine them, don’t say we are supporting anything, it’s a different case,” the Prime Minister said.
There has been no official help given, this is Myanmar’s internal issue and they would not consult us, he said, adding that the Asean charter stipulated that member states should not interfere in the internal affairs of other member countries.
Regarding the concern of other countries about the unrest in Myanmar these have been relayed according to the Asean principles.
However the problem is not the same and they have to have their own administrative process to ensure safety and orderliness and would have to do that, he added.
CAPTION:
Gen Prayut briefing reporters about supplies going across to Myanmar at the border today, above, and discussing other issues earlier, home page . Photos: Siam Rath
