Murder in the Markets of Mae Sot

March 5, Bangkok Post

Security beef-up after cop shot - Supamart KasemSecurity has been stepped up after a policeman was shot on Monday night onthe 10-rai of no-man's land on an island underneath the Thai-BurmeseFriendship Bridge in Mae Sot district.

A gang of illegal Burmese occupyingthe island are believed to be behind the attack on Pol Sgt Ake-kachaiBiewnoi. He was shot in the torso by a shotgun, who has not been found.The gang also threatened to burn Rim Moei, a Thai border market along theMoei river where the island is located, if authorities attempted to arrestanyone staying on the island.It was the third violent attack in less than 10 days on the island.

LastTuesday a forestry officer was abducted, robbed and physically assaultedby the Burmese gang. No one was hurt in a bomb attack on Friday night.In response to the calls by market vendors, Tak governor Chumporn Polarakyesterday met the provincial police chief, deputy commander of theNaresuan Task Force, the tambon Tah Sailuad mayor and market vendors towork out ways to ensure safety for tourists, vendors and locals.'

'We agreed to deploy more police, soldiers and village securityvolunteers to provide round-the-clock security on the island,'' said MrChumporn.A total of 250 security volunteers were recruited from border villages andreceived training from the military based in Tak.

Ten volunteers would bedeployed to provide security daily, he said.Security cameras and spotlights would be installed to cover all areasvulnerable to attack on the island and border areas. Security spotlightsare equipped with motion sensors which turn on when intruders try to slipacross the Thai border.The tambon municipality would also reinforce fences along the border