If the Burmese junta supports the Wa, let Thailand support Shan
Chachavanan Santhidej
source : The Nation (25/05/01)
It is nothing but a very aggressive challenge from the Burmese military government to announce that it will support the Wa group since it was unfairly attacked by the Thai military. This is the most obvious action showing that despite every attempt to compromise, and to be friendly in any way possible by the Thai military and government, nothing ever works and that the Burmese military government is never sincere and all the compromises will never bring us to a right solution.
The Burmese government accuses the Thai government of "unfairly" treating the Wa group by broadcasting a picture of Mong Yawn city through its national television and misleading Thai people that the Wa are a very big producer of drugs, despite the fact that not only the Thai government but the US government is making the claim.
No matter how many more times Thai military or government officials visit the leaders of Burma, it will never work. However, an aggressive action like the military's offensive doesn't seem to be a good way to solve this problem either.
The Burmese government made a very serious challenge by announcing that it will support the Wa, Thailand's biggest enemy. The very smart thing we can do is simple and easy.
Do the same thing that the Burmese government hates and never wants us to do (and even once accused us of doing so): the Thai government should officially announce that it will support the Shan, the Burmese rebel group, in every way possible and will offer every kind of help to the Shan State Army (SSA).
I really appreciate the picture of Nga Karawan, the Thai historic singer singing in the National Day celebration of Shan state, the small piece of land that will never lay down before the world's most embarrassing government, the Burmese military. This is the mildest way we can handle this conflict.