Day: October 10, 2009
Flash floods in Mae Hong Son strand 5,000 residents as bridge collapses
Flash floods following torrential rain in mountainous territory along the Thai/Burmese border in Mae Hong Son have caused considerable damage, cutting off villages in Na Pu Pom sub-district when a bridge linking with Pang Mapha district was swept away. Fields, homes and high-voltage pylons were also damaged. Mae Hong Son province itself has received very little rain.
Teams of police and medical personnel sent from the Mae Hong Son Provincial Disaster Office and Srisangwal Hospital found that at least 5,000 residents in 10 villages were stranded by the collapse of the bridge. The nearby Mok Cham Pae sub-district was seriously affected when overflow from the Mae Sa-ngi River flooded 50 rai of rice paddies and a number of homes. 7 pylons were brought down by the force of the water, resulting in the local electricity authority cutting the supply for safety reasons. 100 rai of agricultural land in a third sub-district, Huai Pha, is also underwater.
A local resident in Mok Cham Pae, Jeerasak Tongsuk, said that river water began flooding his 3 buildings and 2 fish ponds at 1 a.m. on September 24. Damage to his property is estimated at 10,000 baht.
Prasert Osatapan, Muang District’s Chief Officer, with teams from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office and Mok Cham Pae Police Station, have provided sandbags for protection against further flooding in the affected areas and organised repairs to a local road damaged by a mudslide. Damage costs are being estimated and financial assistance will be provided by the government.
Chiang Mai Mail
Junta wants a deal with junior Wa commander Bao Ai Roong
It has been disclosed yesterday that the Burmese authorities recently invited Bao Ai Roong, commander of the United Wa State Army (UWSA)’s northern watchdog the 318th Brigade for talks, according to a source close to the Wa leadership.
No date or venue for the meeting has been fixed yet.
A hot debate among the Wa leaders has taken place as a result, between those who questioned the ruling junta’s motives (“Why should they wish to meet a subordinate officer who has to take orders from his superior?”) and those who thought it would be unwise to let go of a peace-making opportunity (“It’s better to fire saliva than to fire bullets”).“We have yet to reach final agreement yet, though many have said it is a chance we should do well not to miss,” he said. “Of course, Bao Ai Roong will not be going alone, and he will know what to say.”
Talks between the UWSA and the Burmese are at a standstill since the latter had proposed in April that all ceasefire groups must transformed themselves into Border Guard Force (BGFs) run by junta officer. October is reportedly the deadline for the ceasefire armies to respond to the proposal.
Bao Ai Roong is the nephew of Bao Youxiang, the Wa supreme leader, who is said to be in poor health after being infected by trichinosis through eating uncooked meat while he was with the Communist Party of Burma (CPB). Ai Roong is reportedly a hardliner.
shanland org
democracy for burma 
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