Bastion falls

Bastion falls, battle goes on

Battle at the border 

The last Burmese outpost guarding the road to the former rebel headquarters opposite Chiangmai Province already occupied by the Shan State Army since yesterday morning collapsed after a one-and-a-half-hour duel, 02:30-04:00, said sources from the border. 

The SSA captured 1 dead and 7 alive together with a variety of weapons and ammunition. The rest of the defenders, about 40 of them, including Capt Saw Naung Oo of IB 314 (Kengtung) got away. 

"We had to give him leeway to escape," explained Lt-Col Yawdfah, aide to Col Yawdserk. "Otherwise he would have been forced to fight to the death causing unnecessary casualties on both sides." 

The battle however was far from being over. 3 kilometers further north of Pang Maisoong, former Shan United Revolutionary Army's capital, 2 kilometers from the border, lay Panghawk, held by both Burmese and Wa. Reinforcements for them coming from Mongton were slow due to the continuous rainfall that had made travel by motor vehicles to the area extremely difficult and dangerous, said sources. 

Nevertheless, 8 VIPs from the Rangoon high command are expected to visit the area sometime today, said a Thai border watcher. 

Meanwhile, the Shan attack on Loi Htwe, opposite Muang Na Village, Chiangdao District, Chiangmai Province, yesterday only succeeded in capturing part of the strategic mountain that was held by the United Wa State Army's 617th Battalion. The unit is one of the 15 battalions in drug fugitive Wei Hsuehkang's 171st Special Brigade. 

No reports however were forthcoming from Maehongson, where Thai troops have been pounding the Wa positions in Khailong Base opposite Pang Mapha District, with artillery yesterday. 

The hostilities have forced hundreds of civilians on both sides of the border to take refuge in Thailand. "The temporary camp in Ban Jawng, Wianghaeng District, is holding 598 people," said Harn Noan, a social worker. "Another hundred households are expected to arrive today." 

A S.H.A.N. source from Chiangdao, 75 km north of Chiangmai, also reported 500 villgers from Muang Na taking shelter in Nawai, about 20 km inside Thai territory. 

Pang Maisoong along with Homong were taken by the Burma Army when warlord Khun Sa surrendered in 1996. 

Update: 

Relief workers told S.H.A.N. on 28 May, the number of refugees, "all from across the border," was 585.