One of the items on the agenda tomorrow at the Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting to be held in Chiang Mai is the introduction of Burma’s temporary consul general Maj Kaung Zan Lwin, according to Thai and Burmese security sources.

“4 of his staff, 3 male and 1 female, are already in Chiang Mai,” said a source. “But they are yet to disclose where the consulate will be located.”

The former consulate which was closed after Gen Ne Win came to power in 1962, was reportedly located in the old city near the Suan Buak Hard Park at the southwest corner of the moat. Thailand, in return, closed its consulate in Kengtung.

“As one-sixth of the city’s population are migrant workers from Burma, the need to look after them and their affairs are considerable,” said a source from the Burmese side.




The RBC is expected to be arranged by 5 regional commanders from the Burmese side: Triangle, Central East, Eastern, Southeastern and Coastal, and 2 regional commanders on the Thai side: the Third (Northern) and the Fourth (Southern).