Thailand, Myanmar need to mend fences

BANGKOK: Diplomats from Thailand and Myanmar are working quietly to ensure that the tense border situation will ease soon. Defense Minister General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh has already dispatched a close aide to Rangoon to attend the funeral of Lt. Gen. Tin Oo, secretary number two of the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and chief of staff of the army, who was killed in a helicopter accident several days ago.

The funeral will also provide a fresh opportunity for the two sides to discuss their problems.

If the situation along the Thai-Myanmar border at Chiang Rai's Ban Pha Hee remains calm following the overrun of a Myanmar military base by the Shan State Army (SSA) on Wednesday, there is a good chance that both sides will make further progress over the tension.

If the Myanmar troops decide to retake the base from the SSA, it will need extra troops and artillery shells. With such forces, the conflict can certainly spill over to Thai territory again. The Third Army Region already has troops in position and is ready for any renewed attack by the Myanmar troops. So far, the situation has been calm.

The Thai Foreign Ministry and security officials and leaders are closely monitoring the change of attitude by the leaders of the SPDC. They are certainly taking seriously comments by Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt.

The Myanmar military intelligence chief said that the current Thai-Myanmar border issue should be resolved with an optimistic approach based on mutual understanding, respect and magnanimity as true good neighbors.

At this juncture, Thailand wants to make sure that there are no longer any more violations of its territory. If the violations stop, Thai-Myanmar relations are bound to improve. Then, bilateral issues will need to be addressed according to the four existing frameworks.

Myanmar's softer approach comes amid worsening economic difficulties. The closure of the Thai border has forced the price of necessary commodities up several fold. The kyat's value has also plummeted from 430 to the U.S. dollar two months ago to 545 as of yesterday.

The swirling inflation has already caused panic among ordinary people, including government officials. The junta leaders have promised to increase the officials' salaries fourfold, following another recent increase. That promise has also driven up consumer prices across the board.

The resumption of Thai-Myanmar border trade should go some way to easing market conditions inside Myanmar. But trade between the two countries has already decreased because the purchasing power of the Myanmar people is getting smaller by the day.

Thai-Myanmar relations need to improve before the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) arrive in Rangoon for a retreat in April.

Myanmar intends to use this retreat as a showcase that it is part of the ASEAN community. Otherwise the border issue could spill over again and damage the planning meeting.

This is the first gathering of ASEAN foreign ministers in Myanmar, so it is imperative that the retreat starts and ends on a friendly note.

-- The Nation/Asia News Network