The Thai government should establish a safety zone or a humanitarian corridor at the Thai-Myanmar border, close to Mae Sot district of Tak province, in anticipation of a mass influx of refugees from Myanmar in March and April, when fighting between government troops and rebel forces is expected to intensify, said a security expert today.
Associate Professor Panitan Wattanayagorn told Thai PBS that the fighting this dry season is expected to be more intense, after the Myanmar government announced mandatory conscription, requiring all men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 to serve in the military for two years. Professionals with special skills, such as engineers and doctors, are mandated to serve for three years, he said.
The combination of mandatory conscription and the anticipated escalation of fighting inside Myanmar may force up to 10,000 people in Myanmar to seek shelter on Thai soil, said Panitan, adding that many Burmese have already fled into Thailand to evade the conscription.
Wealthy Burmese have been buying condominium units in Bangkok and some other provinces, while others have sent their children to study at international schools in Thailand, he said.
The security expert noted that it appears that the Thai government is totally unprepared to deal with the situation in Myanmar, adding that the government should have set up an ad hoc committee to coordinate between the military and the Interior Ministry to establish the safety zone, while the Foreign Ministry should call a meeting with ASEAN countries to discuss the situation in Myanmar.
If refugee camps are set up to accommodate a mass influx from Myanmar, Panitan said that Thailand must seek help from ASEAN nations in sharing the costs of accommodating the refugees.
