3,000 Karen flee to Thailand

About 3,000 Karen have fled across the border to Tha Song Yang district of Tak province to escape fighting in Burma, Third Army Region commander Lt-Gen Tanongsak Apirakyothin said on Monday.

He said  Burmese government and Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) soldiers are  attacking positions held by the Karen National Union (KNU) along the Thai-Burmese border.

Thailand has provided the refugees with humanitarian assistance including food, shelter and medicine to prevent illness.

he fighting has so far been limited to the Burmese side of the border and no artillery rounds have landed on Thai soil, said Lt-Gen Tanongsak.