Exodus to Thailand continues after fall of key Myanmar border town

FRANCE 24 English

Visit our website: http://www.france24.com  Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English  Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/France24_en

Transcript

00:00 They're among the 4,000 Burmese per day who are fleeing the town of Mayawaddy and seeking

00:06 refuge across the border in Thailand.

00:08 Mayawaddy in southern Myanmar has been at the heart of clashes which erupted earlier

00:13 this week between the junta troops stationed there and the ethnic minority group Karen

00:18 National Union.

00:20 Artillery shells and gunfire have prompted residents to leave, with border crossings

00:24 doubling in just one week.

00:26 "I'm afraid. I feel safer on this side of the border."

00:32 "They can't bomb Thailand."

00:36 According to the junta spokesman, 200 Myanmar troops stationed in Mayawaddy have abandoned

00:41 their posts and are sheltering on a bridge linking the trade town to the Thai district

00:46 of Mae Sot.

00:48 Thailand's foreign minister is visiting Mae Sot as the country makes preparations to

00:52 take in what they estimate could be 100,000 people fleeing the fighting in Myanmar.

00:57 "There might be some possibility of a mass influx coming to Thailand. So that's why the

01:02 Thai government needs to get ready to plan on a more comprehensive approach to deal with

01:09 the situation."

01:10 Myanmar has been deep in conflict since its army overthrew a democratically elected government

01:16 in 2021, but the junta's facing territory and troop loss as multiple rebel groups have

01:22 launched offensives in the country.

Category

Transcript

Recommended