Thailand's foreign minister has visited the border with Myanmar after days of fighting between rebels and that country's military junta. The Thai government says it's willing to offer temporary shelter to 100-thousand refugees escaping the conflict.

Bangkok

Thailand's foreign minister recently made a visit to the country's border with Myanmar, following a period of intense conflict between rebel groups and Myanmar's military government. This visit comes in the wake of days of fighting, highlighting the gravity of the situation along the border area. In response to the escalating situation, the Thai government has announced its readiness to provide temporary shelter. It has pledged to accommodate up to 100,000 refugees fleeing from the violence in Myanmar, indicating Thailand's preparedness to assist those escaping the conflict.



Thailand braces for refugees across border

Thailand's foreign minister visiting the border checkpoint through which thousands of refugees have passed in the last seven days. As if to make a point, he marched right to the centre of the friendship bridge. The message, despite the chaos in Myanmar, Thailand is in firm control. Speaking to the media, he said that Thailand is prepared for 100,000 refugees if the crisis gets worse. We've sent messages to the state administration council in Myanmar that we don't wish to see violence. We've recently talked to ASEAN members about issuing a statement so that violence can be decreased in Myanmar. Sadae and her children aren't so confident. They fled from their home outside the town of Myawaddy in Myanmar a week ago. But like many of those pouring into Thailand, they have a network of friends and a family to rely on. We don't need any humanitarian support. We came here to stay briefly because of the fighting. My children are working at a factory in Mae Sot. So I have a place to live and I don't have any food problems because the factory provides food and they bring it home. The greater humanitarian need is in Myanmar itself. Foreign ministry officials met with the UN's refugee agency in Mae Sot during the minister's visit. Now that control of the border crossing has changed hands, they'll be hoping aid can flow more freely. This is the exact point at which Thailand crosses into Myanmar, in the middle of the Moi River. And now that there is a different military force in control of the border over here, many people would like to see aid flowing into Myanmar to the people who desperately need it. People such as these at a camp for those displaced by fighting in Kaya State, north of Myawaddy. The UN estimates more than 10 million people inside Myanmar aren't getting enough to eat. Fuel is also in desperately short supply, although people are finding ingenious ways to get by. With the rainy season approaching, the shortages will only get worse, as even the heaviest beasts of burden struggle to get through the monsoon mud. Tony Chang, Al Jazeera, on the Thai-Myanmar border.

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