the seizure from two Thai nationals in Thailand with two SAM-7 missiles. They said that

the two Thai nationals were arrested together with 100 stimulant tablets and two SAM-7s at their houses, that the weapons were purchased at

the Cambodian border and would be sold to the group in southern Wa area, that based on the news

the Wa group had surface-to-air missiles and so Thai Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces General Surayut Chulanont said the aircraft of the Thai Air Force were not to fly along the

borders with her neighbours stretching altogether 6,099 kilometres. It also shares

the border with Thailand stretching 2,096 kilometres. Moreover, the geographic al conditions along the border is characterised by forests and mountains. With poor transport and

September 1988, the armed groups took advantage of the long stretch of the

Thai-Myanmar border, difficult transport and communication links, rugged terrains and convenient supply of food and arms from Thailand they established strong

camps along the border. From those bases they committed destructive acts

and engaged in illicit production of narcotic drugs and trafficking. From

18 September 1988 onwards, the so-called democracy activists absconded to the

Thai-Myanmar border areas and Thailand. They colluded with the armed groups and

committed subversive acts. Moreover, they formed different groups under different

names in Bangkok, secured assistance from the anti-government groups in foreign nations and carried

out sabotage acts. Up to that time Thai businessmen in collusion with the armed

groups at the border carried out illegal extraction of valuable timber and minerals

and smuggled them out of the country. They also engaged in gunrunning. Since then, heavy

weapons like SAM-7 and 2.75 launchers and other weapons, explosives and mines have got

into the hands of the armed groups via Thailand. Securing food supplies and arms from

illegal sources in Thailand, KNU and KNPP armed groups have been able to

continue to settle along the common border in Thailand and carry out subversive acts.

MTA group led by Khun Sa in particular purchased anti-aircraft machine-guns and guided

missiles like SAM-7s, heavy and small arms from sources in Thailand with the proceeds

from the drug trafficking, called in foreign instructors to Homain, MTA headquarters,

for military training, hired weapons experts and produced weapons like launchers, rockets, heavy and

small arms, bombs, mines and explosives at Homain. The group did so in order to

strengthen itself. When the MTA group unconditionally surrendered in 1996, the

weapons included 20 SAM-7s and anti-aircraft machine-guns plus heavy and small weapons totalling more than 9,000 as well as bombs, mines and

explosives numbering more than two million. Of them the US-made arms and ammunition

were the largest in number. Some were found to bear markings of the Thai military.

Moreover. arms and ammunition seized from KNU armed group during military

operations included those bearing the markings of the Thai military. It is an

undeniable fact that the armed groups along the Thai-Myanmar border are receiving heavy and small

arms, launchers, bombs and explosives from illegal sources in Thailand as stated above:

The seizure of the China-made two SAM-7s on 7 September 1999 is not strange. A study of

the above facts will show that the case is not an unusual one.

From June 1999, the Thai dailies like Bangkok Post and T£1e Nation have been

reporting that stimulant tablets and heroin were produced along the Thai-Myanmar

border in Myanmar, that the government was ignoring the drug trafficking carried out by

ethnic armed groups, that Khun Sa, had resumed drug trafficking, that the Myanmar

Tatmadaw was involved in drug trafficking, that regional development projects such as

road building, dam construction and power supply projects in Mongyawn in eastern Shan State were implemented by the

southern Wa group with the use of money realized from drug trafficking. The papers mad e irresponsible

and one-sided assessment of the events. Thailand faced the problem of stimulant drugs

about ten years ago and it became a major issue among the students of basic education schools and

Hence, Thailand has taken suppressive measures against stimulant drugs as a national campaign starting from

early 1999. Moreover, the Royal Thai Army is said to have led a special operation

targeting 26 villages along the Thai-Myanmar border in Mae-aing, Chiang Mai and Chiang

Mai districts beginning from 15 July 1999. The fact that the Thai Army launched the

special operations against the area opposite the Lwe Hsan Saw area in southern Wa region

while leaving the areas where SURA Ywet Sit group are engaged in subversive acts

and drug trafficking, MTA remnant Kyauk Hsit Hsu Hlaing group and KMT remnants were active with their base in

Since stimulant tablets are more profitable, drug traffickers have turned to

production of these tablets. Ephedrine, a precursor item for manufacturing stimulant

tablets was exposed and seized starting from the late 1996. Myanmar is located between

China and India, the two nations which produce the largest amount of Ephedrine. The chemicals illegally enter

the country across the long stretch of the common borders with these two countries. It also comes

from Thailand. As a counter measure, Myanmar increased its cooperation with her neighbours

China, India and Thailand. The problem of stimulant tablets has started in the region since the last

decade. India and Thailand were the first to face the problem but Myanmar began to

experience it in the late 1996. The seizures in Tachilek on 3-1-99 and in Hsenwi on

21-7-99 will show that precursor chemicals, electric power and machinery required

for producing stimulant drugs entered the country across the borders with neighbouring countries.

Similarly, the seizures of Ephedrine, dyes and Methamphetamine tableting machines prove this. Drug

traffickers have brought in those materials to the border areas through all available

means by taking advantage of the long stretch of borders with the neighbouring countries,

rugged mountains and natural barriers like difficult transport and communication links and