Phra Phutthabat: Gunfire echoed across the Thai-Myanmar border this morning, creating a tense atmosphere in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, as Karen and Myanmar soldiers engaged in a fierce exchange involving heavy weapons. The situation has left parents too fearful to send their children to school, with some resorting to using bomb shelters for safety.
According to Thai News Agency, the confrontation involved the Karen National Liberation Front (KNLA) and a significant contingent of armed People’s Defense Force (PDF) soldiers attacking over 70 Burmese troops from the 13th Operational Control Division. These Burmese soldiers were en route to reinforce the Thibabo base when they were intercepted by Karen forces, leading to an intense one-hour gunfight at the Ban Song Si Mean Sports Field in Sukari District, Myawaddy District, across from Phop Phra District, Tak Province. The fighting occurred less than a kilometer from the Thai border, with Burmese soldiers from the Thibabo base firing heavy weapons in support, causing explosions that alarmed nearby Thai villagers in Moker Thai Village, prompting them to prepare for bomb shelter use.
The director of Mor Kor Thai School reported that the school remained open but saw a significant drop in attendance as most parents opted to keep their children at home for safety. Security was heightened with presence from the Rajamanu Task Force, Phop Phra District Administration, Border Patrol Police, and the Mor Kor Village Security Unit to ensure the safety of teachers who reported for work.
The Thai-Myanmar Border Command Center in Tak Province has reported that due to the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, 290 Myanmar refugees have crossed the border seeking safety in three designated safe areas. These include a temporary safe area at Wat Morkor Thai, housing 232 people; Ban Muen Ruechai Temple, sheltering 24 people; and Ban Muen Ruechai Church, accommodating 34 people. Security officials from Phop Phra District, Tak Province, are actively working to ensure the safety of these refugees, adhering to humanitarian principles.