Khun Sa cronies look for new patrons

Khun Sa cronies look for new patrons

Released from American jails but still stranded in the host country's immigration holding center, six of the former Shan warlord's associates are hopefully looking for sponsors who would help deliver them from the agony of waiting, said a former inmate now back in Thailand. 

"Chalee (Yangwiriyakul a.k.a Yang Seu-hua) is still detained at the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) in Louisiana," said the source who was freed two years ago and "fortunately taken back" by Thailand that nabbed him along with 10 other followers of Khun Sa in 1994. "He could have been free if he only had somebody to bail him out." 

Despite his one-time closeness to Khun Sa, whose freedom from Mandalay jail he had brought about by staging a dramatic kidnapping of two Russian doctors in Taunggyi in 1973, 4 years after Khun Sa's imprisonment, Chalee was rejected by Rangoon that had pardoned his erstwhile boss in 1996. "Rangoon owed him a real good grudge", said the source. "And the Burmese are not apt to forgive him for making them a laughing stock in the international arena once." 

Altogether 15 Khun Sa supporters were nabbed in Thailand, China and Malaysia, among whom is Lao Tai a.k.a Yang Wan-hsuan, for whose capture the United States had offered "up to $2,000,000." 

"Apart from Lao Tai (who was arrested in Maesai on 10 January 2001), everyone is out of prison now," continued the source, "but only six of us were taken back either by Bangkok or Rangoon. The rest, except 2 of them, are still stuck in the INS." 

The two, Lo Teh-ming a.k.a Somwang Omman and Chang Teh-chai, were discharged by the INS only after two additional years, the mandatory term of detention, and are now "working for their living in the States. If possible, I would also like the remaining six others to be guaranteed by some kind-hearted people there before they completed the required two years." 

The six are: Chalee Yangwiriyakul a.k.a Yang Seu-hua, Ho Mingteh a.k.a Chatchai Pattarawiboon, Kuo Shangping a.k.a Thawee Apiradeethonsarn, Chao Yu-an a.k.a Sai Long, Liu Feng-te a.k.a Siewsing Sae-sia and Liu Wen-ming. "However, Yu-an has been paralysed and consequently hospitalized for three years now," he said. 

Khun Sa, once known as the Lord of the Golden Triangle, surrendered in 1996 and is now living under protection of the military intelligence in Rangoon. He is wanted both in Thailand and the United States on drug charges.