Thai Leaders’ Burma Comments Draw More Criticism

Thai human rights groups have launched a wave of criticism over recent comments by Thai officials in support of Burma’s dictatorial military regime, which continues to deny its citizens basic human rights.

Thai Foreign Minister Noppodon Pattama promised to hand any remaining funds from a 4 million baht (US$127,000) soft loan back to Burma during his visit last week as a member of the Thai delegation led by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

The loan was signed between the Myanmar [Burma] Foreign Trade Bank and the Export-Import Bank of Thailand in mid-2004 during the administration of Thaksin Shinawatra, who was overthrown in a coup in 2006.

Noppodon also confirmed that Thailand plans to push ahead on the construction of the Tasang dam on the Salween River.

His statements drew criticism from human rights activists and environmental groups.

“I think that the Thai foreign policy on Burma should also consider the promotion of human rights and democracy in Burma and not only the business benefits,” said Somchai Homlaor, the general secretary of the Human Right and Development Foundation, a leading Thai human rights group based in Bangkok.

“I don’t think the Thai government, which claims to come from democratic elections, should support a military dictatorship. Thailand’s help and business deals will prolong dictatorship in Burma,” he said. “They [the junta] use our money to suppress their people. Because Burma is not a democratic country, many of their problems can not be solved. We will have more refugees, migrants and drug issues.”

The Tasang dam project in Burma has been widely criticized for poor environmental and social impact studies.

Thailand received a concession to build Tasang dam about 10 years ago to boost energy security in Thailand. MDX, a Thai firm, signed an agreement with Burma in 2002 to develop the project.

The 7,110-megawatt dam is the largest proposed dam project on the Salween River. It would create a reservoir flooding hundreds of square kilometers in Shan State in northeast Burma and thousands of Burmese people would be displaced, say environmentalists.

Sai Sai, a member of Salween Watch, a local organization that deals with environmental issues in Burma, told The Irrawaddy on Monday, “Thailand will be responsible for the displacement of thousands of people by that dam project. The Thai government knows about Burma’s political instability and on-going conflicts inside the country, and they are using it as an opportunity to exploit things in Burma.”

“The Thai government only considers its own business interests to get energy through the Burma mega-dam project,” he said. “The Thai government doesn’t have any sympathy for the people of Burma and their suffering under the military regime.”

Areas near the Salween River have long been a conflict zone for the Burmese military regime, which is fighting ethnic Shan and Karen armies.

Thailand is building or is a joint-partner in more than seven dam projects on the Salween River, all of which were put on hold after the September 2006 coup that ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who actively pursued business deals with the military regime during his term between 2001 and 2006.

Prime Minister Samak also met with junta leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe on Friday in the country's capital of Naypyidaw, the state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar reported.

After a one-day visit to Burma, Samak said the country had “peace and order” and its military leader, Snr Gnr Than Shwe, with whom he met, was a good Buddhist who meditated and prayed daily.

“Killings and suppressions are normal there, but we have to understand the facts,” said Samak. “The general view of this country has always been one-sided, but there are two sides to a coin.”

During the meeting, Thailand also pledged to develop the Tavoy deep-sea port in southern Burma to help open up trade and business links between the two countries, according to foreign minister Noppodon.

He said Thailand opposed economic sanctions against the junta, preferring “negotiations rather than punishments” could lead to more positive developments in the country that has been run by the military since 1962.

According to figures compiled by the Foreign Trade Department, Thailand currently ranks as Burma's third-largest foreign investor, with investments of $1.3 billion in 2007. Britain ranks first with $1.5 billion worth of investments, followed by Singapore with $1.4 billion. Thailand also ranks among Burma's leading trade partners.