Ranong border case: Release difficult | Bangkok Post: learning

About Thai-Myanmar relations

Illegal drugs, weapons & fact that some were growing marijuana may make release of 62 Thais held by Burmese army in Ranong more difficult.

See the original Bangkok Post article reporting on the case here.

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Held Thais face charges in Myanmar

10/07/2012

Dozens of Thai nationals will face charges in neighbouring Myanmar after they were held for illegally crossing the border to run rubber plantations, state media said Tuesday.

Nine women and 52 men detained during a Myanmar army sweep in a southern border region were "safe, but to face charges", according to a report in the state mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar.

The newspaper detailed weapons seized -- including nine assault rifles, 11 "homemade" guns and a landmine -- but said no shots were fired during the raids in the country's southeastern Tanintharyi region.

"The Thai detainees have encroached upon Myanmar's territory and worked rubber farming on a commercial scale and held arms and ammunitions for their security," the English language newspaper said, adding that Thailand had been informed through "diplomatic means."

One of Thailand's deputy prime ministers, Yutthasak Sasiprapa, put the number of detained at 49 and said officials from the Thai border province of Ranong would negotiate for their release.

But he said the task would be complicated because the Myanmar army had found both illicit drugs and arms.

"They trespassed onto Myanmar soil to work and planted marijuana, while Myanmar has also seized weapons. But I am convinced they will be freed before President Thein Sein's official visit," he said, referring to the Myanmar leader's previously delayed visit to Bangkok, now set for July 22.

Many poor Myanmar nationals stream across the porous 2,400 kilometre (1,500 mile) border between the two countries in search of employment in affluent Thailand. Movement by Thais into impoverished Myanmar is rarely reported.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Held Thais face charges in Myanmar, Breaking News, 10/07/2012, link)


Border Incident Vocabulary

border - the official line separating two countries เขตแดน อาณาเขต
crossing the border

incident -  a bad event that happens to people (example: a shooting incident)
border incident  

one dozen - 12
dozens - could be 24, 36, 48 ... (more than one dozen)

Thai nationals - citizens of Thailand, people whose country is Thailand

charges - a criminal case brought against a person
face charges

plantations - large farms with many workers growing commodity crops such as rubber, sugar, or coffee
rubber plantations
run rubber plantations

media - radio, television, newspaper, the Internet, considered as a group สื่อ
state - government
state media - government run TV and newspapers

Dozens of Thai nationals will face charges in neighbouring Myanmar after they were held for illegally crossing the border to run rubber plantations, state media said Tuesday.

detained - kept in jail

sweep - move quickly through an area looking for someone or something
army sweep

mouthpiece - a person, newspaper or organisation that expresses the opinions and beliefs of a government, an organisation, or another person ปากเสียง กระบอกเสียง
the state mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar

Nine women and 52 men detained during a Myanmar army sweep in a southern border region were "safe, but to face charges", according to a report in the state mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar.

weapons - things like guns and knives used to hurt and kill people (to protect yourself, for example) อาวุธ
weapons seized - weapons taken away from them (by force)

assault - a physical attack on someone ทำร้าย an attack by the armed forces การทำร้ายด้วยอาวุธ  การจู่โจม attacking someone violently การทำร้ายร่างกาย
assault rifles

homemade - made at home ทำเอง (โฮมเมด)
landmine - a bomb that explodes when you step on it (person either loses their leg or dies)  
"homemade" guns and a landmine

raids - when the police or army enter a place by force

shot fired - when someone shoots the gun more than one time
no shots were fired

The newspaper detailed weapons seized -- including nine assault rifles, 11 "homemade" guns and a landmine -- but said no shots were fired during the raids in the country's southeastern Tanintharyi region.

detainees - people put in jail, police or army keep in a place and they cannot leave

encroached - were staying on land that they did not own  บุกรุก
territory - land which is considered as belonging to or connected with a particular country or person ดินแดน อาณาบริเวณ อาณาเขตประเทศ
encroached upon Myanmar's territory

commercial - for business purposes
scale - size (relative size)
on a commercial scale - a big farm to raise crops for sale (not just for family use)

worked rubber farming on a commercial scale

arms - weapons (such as guns) อาวุธ
ammunitions - bullets you put in a gun (what the weapon fires)

security - the need to provide safety from attack, harm or damage ความปลอดภัย
held arms and ammunitions for their security

diplomatic - relating to relations between countries เกี่ยวกับการทูต
means - methods; ways วิธี, วิธีการ
through diplomatic means - through the embassy or workers at the embassy (diplomats)

informed - told something by someone
informed through diplomatic means

"The Thai detainees have encroached upon Myanmar's territory and worked rubber farming on a commercial scale and held arms and ammunitions for their security," the English language newspaper said, adding that Thailand had been informed through "diplomatic means".

release - allowing someone to go free; to let someone leave a place where they have been kept, in this case, a prison การปล่อยตัว  ปล่อยเป็นอิสระ

negotiate - to successfully travel on a road or path that is difficult to travel on or through ฝ่าไป
negotiate for their release

One of Thailand's deputy prime ministers, Yutthasak Sasiprapa, put the number of detained at 49 and said officials from the Thai border province of Ranong would negotiate for their release.

task - a piece of work that someone does หน้าที่ ภารกิจ
complicated - difficult to understand and deal with ที่ซับซ้อน
the task would be complicated

illicit - against the law ผิดกฎหมาย
illicit drugs
illicit arms

But he said the task would be complicated because the Myanmar army had found both illicit drugs and arms.

trespass - to enter land that does not belogn to you
trespassed onto Myanmar soil

convinced - certain; sure แน่ใจ, มั่นใจ
convinced they will be freed

official - approved by the government or some authority ที่เป็นทางการ
official visit

They trespassed onto Myanmar soil to work and planted marijuana, while Myanmar has also seized weapons. But I am convinced they will be freed before President Thein Sein's official visit," he said, referring to the Myanmar leader's previously delayed visit to Bangkok, now set for July 22.

porous - things pass through it easily
porous border

search - to look somewhere carefully in order to find something ค้นหา
employment - having a paid job

in search of - looking for
in search of employment - looking for a job 

affluent - rich, wealthy, has lots of money มั่งคั่ง
affluent Thailand - meaning: Thailand is a rich country 

impoverished - very poor ยากจน
rarely - not happening often นานๆ ครั้ง, ไม่บ่อย

impoverished Myanmar - meaning: Myanmar is a very poor country

rarely - they almost never do it
rarely reported

Many poor Myanmar nationals stream across the porous 2,400 kilometre (1,500 mile) border between the two countries in search of employment in affluent Thailand. Movement by Thais into impoverished Myanmar is rarely reported.

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