Wa not told of Queen

Wa not told of Queen's visit

The Wa were not informed of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's scheduled visit until long after the fight that killed one Thai soldier and two Wa fighters last Monday (25 March), according to a Shan source close to the United Wa State Army.

"The appearance of Thai troops near their positions was so sudden to them," said the source who requested anonymity. "And coming two days after the ambush that killed 13 drug traffickers believed to be from the Wa, they were naturally suspicious and this precipitated them into a fight. Most of them also were just out of boot camp and inexperienced."

The Thai attack on a drug caravan in the same district of Wianghaeng, opposite Mongton Township, on 22-23 March netted 1.6 million speed pills. The source however denied knowledge of the origins of the seized drugs.
Both the UWSA and the Shan State Army were suspected to be working together. Among the 13 dead were two with SSA uniforms. Shan rebels however denied the charge and maintained they were only deserters.

"The Burmese are more cunning than we give them credit for," said one rebel officer. "They have been playing Thais, Wa and us against one another. Thais seemed to believe they would only have to handle us while the Burmese handled the Wa. Now it looks that they are also pushing the Wa into an unwanted war with Thailand."
The Wa claims of innocence were not accepted by the Thai army. "They have refused to return the weapon of Sgt Suban Onla who was killed," said a source close to the army.

A source coming to the weekly market in BP-1, between Mongton and Chiangmai, also confirmed that the Burma army had been conscripting labor to dig trenches and air-shelters in Mongton since 20 March. "It means if the worst comes to worst, the Burmese are ready."

The only question was why Rangoon should want war with Thailand, when the present administration of Thaksin Shinawatra had been so conciliatory, he said.

FM Surakiat Sathirathai told a seminar in Chiangmai last year that there were two things Thailand would never tolerate: violation of the monarchy and violation of its territorial integrity. 

Update:

7 truckloads of reinforcements arrived in Mongtaw-Monghta area opposite Wianghaeng yesterday.

Local people were also being levied to build bunkers at Kiu Zangkab, near Wianghaeng's Paeksaem village, said an informed source this afternoon. In addition, an emergency meeting of local people has been called for tomorrow by the Wa commander, according to the source.

Time: 16:00