Active trade reported along Thai-Myanmar border

TAK, THAILAND, November 13 (TNA) - Active trade was reported along the Thai-Myanmar border in Thailand's northwestern Tak province on Tuesday, as a number of Karen ethnics from the Myanmar side flocked across the common border through temporary checkpoints in Pob Phra and Um Phang districts to purchase consumer products for their stocks for fears that the border crossings would probably be closed shortly. The Karen ethnics said they had heard that the Commander of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), Major General Na Kham Mwe, had ordered his troops to temporarily close down 15 temporary border crossings between Thailand and Myanmar, after his five relatives had been arrested by Thai authorities for illegal entry. According to the Karen people, the DKBA commander had instructed his armed men to block people and vehicles from the Thai side from entering into Myanmar, but he would allow the Karen ethnics to cross the border into the Thai territory as usual, prompting them to stock up food and goods as a precaution in case of any emergency. Meanwhile, Tak customs office reported that all the five relatives of the DKBA chief have already been deported to Myanmar, after they were questioned and had their finger prints taken by the Thai authorities. (TNA)