Burmese officers

Burmese officers: Maung Aye letting Thai army in to rid Wa 

A source from Mongton, referring to two Burmese commissioned officers, reported Saturday (11 May) that General Maung Aye had agreed during his 23-26 April visit to allow Thai forces inside Burmese territory in hot pursuit against the United Wa State Army. 

"It was due to pressure from the international community that our powers-that-be are admitting foreign military forces in," the source quoted officers from Mongton's IB 65 and IB 225 as saying. "But Rangoon is also taking advantage of the situation to persuade the Wa to surrender in exchange for more business concessions." 
The Wa leadership is still considering the proposition, said the source. 

In response to the unprecedented Thai military buildup along the border from Tak, Maehongson and Chiangmai to Chiangrai, Wa units have been preparing for stiff resistance, reported other sources. The Wa strength in their southern command that covers Mongton, Monghsat and Tachilek townships is estimated at 5,000-6,000, with the biggest concentration near Mongyawn, opposite Mae Ai District of Chiangmai. 

The Southern Command under Pao Yuyi, elder brother to the Wa supreme leader Pao Yuqiang, has three brigades: the 171st of Wei Hsuehkang, 214th of Ta Rong and 894th under the nominal command of Ta Lerh but widely believed to be still under the sway of its former commander, Wei Hsaitang (not related to Wei Hsuehkang). 
The massive preparations that began on 1 May on the Thai side, code-named Surasi1/3, have however been played down as a military exercise by the Thai army at a news conference in Chiangmai yesterday, according to a local newsman. ("The Thai army" here was Lt-Gen Pathomphong Kesornsuk, Assistant Chief of Staff). 

In the meanwhile, the Shan State Army of Col Yawdserk, with his strongholds at Loi Taileng (opposite Maehongson), Loilam, Loifai and Sanzu (opposite Chiangmai) and Loi Kawwan (opposite Chiangrai) has been put on the highest alert for any eventuality, said an inside source. He refused to elaborate. 

Update: (14 May)

6 truckloads of Burmese troops from LID 55 arrived in Mongton this morning. "They are part of the 25 trucks that entered Monghsat yesterday," said the source. He believed the rest went south to Mongyawn.