Violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State not seriously affect Thailand

BANGKOK, August 30 (TNA) - The latest violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State, in which armed ethnic Rohingya Muslims clashed with state security forces on August 25, is unlikely to seriously affect Thailand. Thai Armed Forces Chief General Surapong Suwan-ath made the assessment on Wednesday, saying he believed that the Myanmar government could bring the situation under control. General Surapong pointed out that the Rakhine State is also located along the Myanmar-Bangladeshi border, which is far from the Thai-Myanmar border. The Thai armed forces chief, thus, told journalists it is unlikely that the latest violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State will have any serious impact on Thailand. According to international media reports, at least 70 people were killed in the latest violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State, where more than 8,700 ethnic Rohingya villagers have also been crossing the border to take refuge in Bangladesh after last Friday's violence erupted. (TNA)