Deputy Chief of the Office of Strategic Studies Deputy Director of Defence Services Intelligence Maj-Gen Kyaw Win said local and foreign journalists were invited to the meeting to inform the public about Myanmar’s continued closure of the Tachilek-Maesai Friendship Bridge although the Thai side opened it at 11.35 am on 12 March 2001.

After the outbreak of armed conflicts at Tachilek at the border, the Maesai side, without informing Myanmar, unilaterally closed the bridge beginning at 7.05 am on 13 February 2001. All the border trade came to a halt as the No 3 Thai Military Command issued a directive to close indefinitely all the legal and illegal border gates to Thailand along the border at Chiangmai, Chiangrai and Mae Hong Son under its control.

It was found that the Thai authorities and responsible organizations did not inform border authorities-from Myanmar side, the Township Border Committee or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar or the Myanmar Embassy and Military Attaché’s Office in Bangkok about the closure.

As the friendship bridge used by local people and citizens of both countries as the main travel link was one-sidedly closed under the Thai military directive, the Myanmar side also closed all arrivals and departures through the bridge from Tachilek on the same day at 7.50 am. The flow of border trade between the peoples of the two countries came to a stop due to the closure of all the border gates including the friendship bridge.

Concerning the close of the bridge, the Thai military officials gave a reason, saying that they closed the bridge in order to protect their territory from intrusion of Myanmar troops to prohibit exporting of rice, medicines and fuel oil to Myanmar side and to stop entering of goods via Lao and Chinese border along the Mekong River route at the Golden Triangle Region. They did so with the aim of cutting food, medicine and fuel supplies to the Tatmadaw columns and the regional militia of Myanmar.

Not even a single crises occurred in Myanmar except from causing only a slight rise in food and fuel oil prices at the border resulting from the close of border gates. But in Thai side Thai merchants and small traders faced economic losses owning to the halt in the trade of regional produce and wholesale dealers also faced economic losses as their investments in export and import business stopped yielding profits as they had to store the goods. Feeling disappointed to face such economic failures, Thai merchants and small traders in Maesai carried their unsold goods and regional produce by car and dumped them in front of Maesai Police Station on 8 March as a show of protest. According to the news reports from Thailand it was known that the termination of the flow of trade had led to daily losses of bahts in millions in Maesai.

As there were disappointments among the regional people and traders there appeared plans to stage strikes; and the regional people took out their frustration on the media persons, as they (media persons) were exaggerating the information in order to sell their news reports.

According to Chiangrai District Chamber of Commerce it is known that Maesai was suffering much economic losses resulting from the closure made by the Thai side as the annual purchase of goods from Myanmar side at the town reached nearly three billion bahts; that the town was in the No 1 position; and all along the border gates it was the town earning the highest amount of revenues.

Due to the above mentioned situations, Commander of No 3 Thai Military Command Lt-Gen Watanachai on 7 March said that as the situation at the border returned to stability all the border gates including Maesai-Tachilek and Maesot-Myawady gates would be opened on 12 March. But it was known that the directive prohibition of the export of necessary supplies including medicines, food and fuel oil for the Myanmar Tatmadaw was still valid.

Though the announcement on the opening of the bridge was made on Thai domestic TV channels and in Maesai, the Thais never sent any information to or made any consultations with the Myanmar side. Lt-Gen Watanachai arrived at Maesai on 12 March at 7 am and discussed with Thai officials matters relating to the opening of the bridge.

At 7.45 am on that day, a delegation from Thai Immigration Department arrived at Myanmar bank, met with Myanmar officials and explained the following six points concerning the opening of the bridge:

(a) The friendship will be opened on 12 March at 11.45 am;

(b) No vehicle will be allowed to cross the bridge and all arrivals must be on foot;

(c) The bridge will be opened only from 6 am to 6 pm daily;

(d) Arrival or departure at the border gate will be permitted only to Thai and Myanmar citizens. No foreigner will be permitted to make arrival or departure.

(e) All arrivals or departures will be permitted only a day’s stay and overstays will be dealt with legal action: and

(f) Complete papers and documents are required for all arrivals and departures.

Conditions presented by Thai Immigration delegation were not the facts discussed with our side. It was found that these facts were only the ones which they one-sidedly fixed as their heart’s content. Therefore officials from our side just met them and no discussions were made.

At 11.35 am, they reopened the Maesai side of the Friendship Bridge and there were no official contact with our side at that time. Things were done according to the instructions of No 3 Military Command. At 12.30 pm, an official letter from Chairman of Maesai TBC dated on 11 March containing the following points in connection with the opening of the bridge.

(a) To meet members of border committee on both sides in the middle of the Friendship Bridge

(b) To delay the traffic temporarily and but pedestrians can go on foot after opening of the bridge from 6 am to 6 pm.

(c) To delay entry for tourists in order to avoid unnecessary problems

(d) To permit transport of daily foodstuffs on manageable scale except various kinds of fuel, rice, medicines and vehicles and spare parts

(e) To permit bringing back of vehicles left in Thailand and Myanmar sides under the inspection of officials on both sides

After opening the bridge on their side, the letter was sent to us only when we did not open our side. It was found that they made feel the pulse of Myanmar, thinking that Myanmar would open the bridge if they did. Their letter was written like a form in which Myanmar was to follow their one-sided conditions they stated.

Looking back the one-sided conditions of closing the Friendship Bridge by Thai side, reopening of the bridge without official information and discussion and walk on the bridge, the Thai army considered that Myanmar had to follow their acts regarding border issues between the two countries. They treated us like a country under their influence.

Ignoring the equality between the two countries, mutual respect, good traditions to be observed by neighbouring countries, international law and procedures and customs on border issues, they treated us like a satellite country that followed their wish.

Moreover, Chairman of TBC said one-sidedly although Thailand opened the border gate, Myanmar didn’t. Despite opening the gate under the agreement between the two countries, Myanmar didn’t open its gate. So Myanmar did not keep her word and the people from both sides were not satisfied with this. It showed the position that Myanmar did not need to depend on Thailand and Myanmar had no cetena on opening of the gate.

True situation was that Thai officials did not inform the opening of the bridge in advance. Flow of commodity in border halted and there may occur demonstration of Thai people and traders who were suffering losses. Therefore the Friendship Bridge reopened according to their will without giving any information to Myanmar Embassy and Office of Military Attaché in Bangkok and Township Border Committee.

Due to their one-sided acts, Myanmar still closes the bridge on her side. The Friendship Bridge on Myanmar side will be closed as long as regional authorities do not receive any instruction from the superior. Therefore the clarifications on Myanmar’s correct stand and attitude were given.

Also present were Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Deputy Minister for Information Brig-Gen Aung Thein, heads of departments of OSS, senior military officers, Managing Director of News and Periodicals Enterprise U Tin Kha, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, Director (News) of NPE U Hla Tun, chief editors of the dailies, Chief Editor of Myanmar News Agency (Internal) U Win Tin, Patron of Myanmar Foreign Correspondent Club U Sein Win, President U Sao Kai Hpa, Secretary U Nyunt Tin and member correspondents and officials.General Staff Officer (Grade-I) of OSS Lt-Col Tin Oo acted as master of ceremonies.

Maj-Gen Kyaw Win replied to queries raised by the journalists.Similarly, the true facts concerning the close of Tachilek-Maesai Friendship Bridge were explained to military attaches of foreign missions in Myanmar at the same venue at 11.30 am.General Staff Officer (Grade-I) of OSS Lt-Col Hla Min explained the matter on closing of the bridge.