Myanmar, Thailand wrangle intensifies

Thu, 04 Nov 1999 | Source: AP

MAE SOT, Thailand (AP): Myanmar troops threatened on Wednesday to shoot a batch of migrants sent back home by Thai authorities at the start of a planned mass repatriation of illegal workers, Thai officials said.

Thai authorities then brought the 200 Myanmar migrants to another point on the Moei river border between the two countries that was not being manned by Yangon's troops and sent them into Myanmar. Thailand deported on Wednesday 500 workers from Myanmar back to their homeland, officials said.

The long border was closed by Myanmar, also known as Burma, a month ago in retaliation for Thailand allowing student militants who stormed the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok on Oct. 1 to go free. Relations between the two countries are at their lowest point in years.

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