Ailing Wa leader heals, back in the saddle

The source, who is an ethnic Chinese Thai businessman, said the credit goes to a herbal doctor from Dali, near the capital of Yunnan, Kunming, who managed to purge the worms originating from improperly cooked meat in his body. “He often has memory lapses, headaches and can’t walk straight. Sometimes he doesn’t remember what you have told him,” reported Maximillian Wechsler in Bangkok Post, 27 November 2005, quoting one of Bao’s aides.
 
One doctor “without border” told SHAN the 59-year old Bao could have been suffering from Trichinosis, a disease caused by trichinae (hairlike parasitic worms), usually ingested in meat.

Since November, when the annual meeting was held in Panghsang, Bao has resumed most of his former responsibilities within the party (United Wa State Party), the military (United Wa State Army) and the Wa government. “I can’t say whether Wei Xuegang likes it or not,” added the friend, “but he (Bao) has also taken hold of the finance department.”
 
The said department had been run by Wei, who is wanted both in Thailand and the United States, since 4 July 2006.
 
The annual meeting had also brought about changes in the army, according to unconfirmed reports, the changes include:

Re-designation of divisions as brigades:

• 418th Division at Kiu-hey, west of Panghsang, to 418th Brigade
• 468th Division at Mongpawk, south of Panghsang, to 468th Brigade
• 414th Division at Hopang-Hoyawd, Mongton township, to 414th Brigade
• Panghsang-based 3128th Division to 318th Brigade
• Mongyawn-based 2518th Independent Regiment to 258th Brigade

Re-organization of 171st Military Region along the Thai-Burma border, whose de facto commander is Wei Xuegang, into 3 separate brigades:

• 772th Brigade at Hwe Aw, Pongpakhem sub-township, Mongton township
• 775th Brigade at Wanhong, Monghsat township
• 778th Brigade at Hsankang, near the Shan State Army’s main base Loi Taileng, opposite Maehongson province’s Pang Mapha district

 
Reshuffle of commanders (the report which is still being “sifted” does not include Wei Hsaitang, the Wa’s “fightingest” officer who was released from jail last year)
“Perhaps Bao doesn’t want to offend the Chinese,” said the source. “But he may want to bring him into play only when the need arises, such as imminent attack by the Burma Army.” Wei Hsaitang, also known as Ta Htang, had been accused of manufacturing counterfeit banknotes including the Chinese currency and imprisoned in 2002.
 
The return of Bao from his health-imposed seclusion plus China’s insistence on keeping unwanted wars along its borders at bay had been the reason the Burma Army eventually backed off from its demand last July to surrender, according to a Shan businessman. “The ultimatum was a mistake made by the decoding officer,” Maj-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Commander of the Burma Army’s Kengtung-based Triangle Region Command, reportedly told Ta Hsang, the UWSA’s Mongpawk district officer, on 22 August.