Thai Soldier Killed on Thai-Burma Border by Burmese government soldiers
A Thai soldier was shot dead by Burmese government soldiers in Mae Sam Leap village north of Mae Sariang in Mae Hong Son Province on Wednesday, according to sources on the Thai-Burma border.
The Karen Refugee Committee (KRC) in Mae Sariang said that they learned through Thai police sources that one Thai solider died as a result of a gun shot injury on the Burmese side of the border.
Police sources reportedly told the KRC that Burmese government soldiers wanted a Thai ranger to take two landmine victims across the border to the Thai side, but the ranger refused.
“A fight broke out after the Thai soldier refused to take the landmine victims to the hospital, and the Thai soldier was killed,” said a KRC worker, who asked to remain anonymous.
According to a second NGO worker based in Mae Sariang, the local Thai Ranger commander said the Thai soldier was out of uniform and was taking Chiang Mai university students down the Yuan River.
When the Thais stopped at a Burmese checkpoint, the Thai ranger was told to take the two land mine victims to the Thai hospital.
According to the Thai commander, the ranger told the Burmese that he would come back after he had dropped the students off. As he was walking back to the boat, he was shot in the back several times.
The Thai commander said that a meeting will be held between Thai and Burmese authorities, and that he suspected the Burmese were intoxicated or taking drugs at the time.
Karen villagers have reported that river traffic has been restricted and tighter security measures have been put in place following recent armed clashes on the Burmese side.
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