The border spat between Thailand and Myanmar is not just a political squabble or the result of what some call mistaken government policies. Rather, it shows a lack of real understanding between the two countries.As a result, the historical suspicion between the two nations crops up whenever bilateral ties - though at their warmest between Myanmar and the current Thai government - hit a rough patch.
"We have to accept the reality that Thai-Burmese relations are sensitive and complicated since we have historic animosity, a long-disputed border, presence of the adversarial ethnic group and international obligations to account for," a member of the Human Rights Commission, Jaran Ditapichai, said in a Bangkok seminar this week.
In short, he said, border tensions between the two countries - the current one began when Myanmar accused the Thai military of firing artillery rounds into its territory during a military exercise - is not something new "because mistrust and suspicion are always [the] principal perceptions between the two neighbors".
But analysts say the lack of understanding by peoples on both sides does not aid the situation. "Thai people know very little about our neighbors, especially Burma," said Pornpimon Trichot, assistant director of Asian studies at Chulalongkorn University.
Most Thais only learn about Myanmar, as Burma has been renamed by the ruling military junta, through history books, she said, even though the country is just next door. These books create lingering mistrust, especially through stories of how Myanmese troops raided, looted and burned down the former Thai capital of Ayutthaya in 1767.
"The perception is then also emphasized by media through reports on other current problems of th Burmese border, migrant workers and refugees," Pornpimon added.
Up to 700,000 Myanmese, including illegal immigrants, work in Thailand. More than 120,000 Myanmese refugees are estimated to be living in camps near the two countries' 2,000-kilometer border.
"I don't understand why they [Myanmese] have to keep fighting each other in their own country," Thai taxi driver Korkue Kaewsai said. This results in hundreds of thousands of refugees living in Thailand. "How much money does our country have to spend on them?" Kaewsai added that he believes that the gunmen in a June 4 attack on a school bus on the Thai border, resulting in the deaths of three students, were Myanmese. "This is very sad because we [Thailand] have been so nice to them [Myanmar], while they often cause trouble to us."
Pornpimon added that there is, in fact, communication and association among Thai and Myanmese people along the border, but that might not be good enough to ease the strained relations. "Thai people need to understand more about Burma and make ourselves understood by the Burmese. There is a need to create a body of knowledge and specialists in Burmese affairs," she said.
Recently, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok initiated the country's first masters program in Southeast Asian Studies, in order to stress the need for native scholars and students to learn one another's perspectives. As part of the program, Burmese-language classes are also open to the public.
"In the authority level, Burmese policy toward Thailand is on the track of 'friendly but be careful'," former Myanmese student Hla Ple said. "Most Burmese people, however, want to settle problems with Thailand peacefully, but they know it is not that easy." Ple currently lives in Thailand.
The latest round of friction between the two neighbors flared up in late May, when Myanmar accused the Thai military of firing into its territory during an exercise held by Thailand to cope with border threats such as drug trafficking and to test its war-readiness. Yangon says the action represented support of the attacks on Myanmese army outposts by anti-Yangon Shan ethnic rebels, and later closed all four of its main border checkpoints with Thailand.
Myanmese officials said they would not grant entry visas to official delegations from Thailand until Bangkok agrees to hold a "serious discussion" on the issues.
As the row simmered, the hostile rhetoric rose. "We have tolerated the un- neighborliness of Thailand for a long time but our period of tolerance is over," Myanmar's deputy military intelligence chief, Major-General Kyaw Win, said at a press briefing in Yangon. The Myanmese press has been calling Thailand "Yodaya", a term spinned off from Ayutthaya, saying it shows "hatred, coupled with grudge, insincerity and wicked acts".
After the protest by Win, Thai Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh ordered the withdrawal of thousands of troops involved in the exercises along the Myanmese border. This, in turn, drew criticism of the move as an appeasement of the Myanmese military junta at the expense of Thai national security. Thai media reports have focused more on criticism of the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, rather than on zeroing in on the Myanmese people themselves. The army has instructed senior officers to stop making comments to the press on Thai-Myanmese issues. Army radio programs have been ordered to stop commenting on Thai-Myanmese issues in order to help reduce tensions. However, the order does not apply to private media.
This was, in fact, not the first time that Yangon accused the Thai army of giving military support to the Shan State Army. Myanmar had previously accused Thailand of allowing the Shan State Army and Karen National Union to set up bases on Thai soil. Thailand, in turn, often complained that Myanmar turns a blind eye to the production and trafficking of illegal drugs - especially methamphetamine pills - by some ethnic minorities, especially the well-armed United Wa State Army.
Still, early last week Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said that Yangon requested talks on drug suppression cooperation. The meeting is likely to be set for mid-July in Yangon. This is a "good sign" for bilateral ties, he said. (Inter Press Service)