Settled amidst the northern reaches of the Shan state, right on the precipice of the Chinese border, lies the small town of Kokong. Over the past month, this seemingly serene locale has turned into a turbulent hotspot for conflict. It’s caught in the fray of an escalating battle between the stalwart military forces of Myanmar and a steadfast allegiance of ethnic groups, colloquially known as the Brotherhood Alliance.
Caught amidst this socio-political uproar are labourers from Thailand who travelled there for work, unwittingly becoming pawns in a deeper agenda. Diplomatic efforts are currently at their zenith as Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara and his team are fastidiously coordinating with their Myanmar colleagues. Their primary goal is to marshal the safe return of these stranded labourers from the clutches of the Laukkaing township’s chaos at the earliest possible opportunity.
Narratives from these unfortunate souls revealed their ordeal of being tricked into serving a deceptive Chinese call-centre racket that has taken root in Laukkaing. Their stories caught the attention of the Thai Ministry, which had initially reported that more than 200 Thais found themselves stranded in the ongoing conflict.
Currently, the task of rescuing these marooned workers rests on the shoulders of the Royal Thai Army. Taking the helm of this complex and delicate extraction mission, the army has decided to use a fleet of buses. The plan is to first drive the Thai workers from Laukkaing to the relative safety of Nanteng and then onto Kengtung in Shan state. Their journey ends conveniently at Tachileik, a mere stone’s throw away from the Mae Sai border checkpoint that marks the Thai entry point.
Providing insight into the matter, Parnpree revealed that a crucial meetup took place recently between Sarun Charoensuwan, the ministry’s permanent secretary, and Myanmar’s ambassador to Thailand, U Chit Swe. Thrashing out a workable plan to accelerate the repatriation efforts became the major talking point of their discussion.
The Ambassador solidly endorsed the collaborative efforts, assuring unequivocally that the Myanmar government is on board to provide full support in the evacuation of the Thais. This statement added a mantle of solace to the brewing situation.
In an intriguing development, the Thai Ministry initiated a dialogue with the Chinese authority. Parnpree disclosed their objective to seek China’s support in facilitating the smooth completion of the repatriation mission. This underlines the intricate complexities surrounding this international issue requiring multifaceted diplomatic cooperation among Myanmar, Thailand and China.
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