TAK — Myanmar soldiers on Tuesday closed ports on their side of the Moei River next to Mae Sot and Tha Song Yang districts in retaliation for tightened oil transport control on the Thai side but the Thai-Myanmar bridge remained open.
The Karen Border Guard Force (Karen BGF) closed 23 ports on its bank of the Moei River under its control, halting cargo transport through ports from Thailand.
Shipment therefore continues only through the Thai-Myanmar friendship bridge, a permanent border crossing under the supervision of Thai and Myanmar governments.
Observers believe Karen BGF leader Gen Maung Chit Htoo ordered the closure in retaliation after Thai crime suppression police stopped about 40 oil trucks in Mae Sot from unloading oil to pipelines leading across the Moei River to Myawaddy.
The Thai police stand firm that oil must be shipped only through the friendship bridge and the situation has caused an oil shortage in Myawaddy for nearly two weeks.
Thai authorities will hold a meeting to discuss the situation.
Border Guard Force is a regular military force and has a military structure like the Myanmar Army. Although the battalion commander is from the ethnic armed group, the Myanmar army is in total control over the activities of the BGF and work together with it during military operations.