By Thai Newsroom Reporters
AUTHORITIES ARE YET TO clear up a Karen refugee camp in a western border district of Thailand following yesterday’s rampage which caused destruction of official and private property, police said today (Dec 15).
Rangers and policemen have been readied to carry out a joint mission to secure Mae Lah refugee camp and render peace and order among the refugees in Tha Song Yang district of Tak after thousands of Karen refugees had allegedly engaged in a late-evening riot and vandalised the camp office, several shophouses, sedans and motorcycles parked inside.
Nevertheless, the rangers and police assigned to secure the refugee camp and return the situation to normal are yet to take precautionary measures for their own safety before they step inside to conduct the clear-up mission, the police said.
Though the riot in the border refugee camp appeared to have ended, many Karen males were spotted hanging around in groups, the police said.
A few Karen males with some merchandise mounted on their motorcycles had reportedly engaged in a brawl with a group of Thai defence volunteers at a checkpoint, triggering the uncontrollable melee.
An estimated 30,000 Karen refugees have been provided shelter on humanitarian basis at the Thai-Myanmar border camp.
CAPTION:
Scenes from last evening’s rioting by Sanook.com and the aftermath today by Thai Rath
