The Myanmar government has requested permission from the Thai government for its aircraft to land at an airport in Tak province to pick up its senior military officers, who escaped from Myawaddy, which was seized by the opposition last night.
Myawaddy, which was the largest government-controlled military camp in Myanmar, is located across the border from Mae Sot district in Thailand.
The request for landing permission, tentatively scheduled from April 7 to 9, was made through the Thai Foreign Ministry.
If granted, 617 Myanmar nationals, including 67 military officers, 410 non-commissioned officers and 81 family members, will board the aircraft back to the capital.
The group is waiting at the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, pending permission to enter Tak.
It is reported that a Myanmar commercial airline aircraft landed at Tak airport last night, and later departed. There were no Myanmar nationals at the airport at the time.
The Myanmar opposition, which includes soldiers from the Karen National Union (KNU) and the People’s Defence Force (PDF), has seized Myawaddy after about four days of fierce fighting.
Meanwhile, Tak Governor Somchai Kitcharoenrungroj has ordered authorities to monitor the situation at the border closely, in case Myanmar nationals attempt to flee the internal conflict into Tak.
So far, border trade continues as normal, he said.
