Two Chinese Cargo Ships attacked on the Mekong River.. 11 Chinese dead

plawolf

plawolf

Lieutenant General
The sheer number of shipping would make any individual escort attempt too expensive unless the shipowners pay for it themselves.

Drugs is starting to be an increasing problem for China, so it would be interesting to see how far Beijing pushes this. However, if the Chinese does show more interest then usual over this, it would be to try and push local governments and authorities to crack down on the drugs trade and stem the flow into China, not as an excuse to send in military for some show battle.
 
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CardSharp

New Member
plawolf said:
Drugs is starting to be an increasing problem for China, so it would be interesting to see how far Beijing pushes this.
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I think cracking down on drugs is a no-brainer for the CCP. With the political history of drugs representing foreign domination and the CCP's self-proclaim role in standing up China, it is one of the easy way to reassert their legitimacy as a government.

plawolf said:
However, if the Chinese does show more interest then usual over this, it would be to try and push local governments and authorities to crack down on the drugs trade and stem the flow into China, not as an excuse to send in military for some show battle.
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There is a very interesting history of local politics and the drug trade in the Burma, Thailand, Yunnan region. The CIA was involved, communist revolutionary armies were involved, stranded KMT armies were involved, local tribes were involved, all played in the backdrop of Cold-war containment and local power struggles.
 
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delft

Brigadier
Plawolf:
The sheer number of shipping would make any individual escort attempt too expensive unless the shipowners pay for it themselves.
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The sheer number of shipping might make it possible to run one or more convoys a day with adequate protection. Individual escorts are of course too expensive.
 
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richardrli

New Member
Registered Member
I suppose the other big unknown is just how well are the thugs themselves armed? Some of the tribal militias were able to defy the Burma government until the very early 21st century. Does that say something?
 
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delft

Brigadier
A good point. The armistices between the government of Myanmar and several of the tribal militias have recently broken down. If there is indeed a connection between the thugs and a militia Myanmar might win the support of China and Thailand to deal with that group.
 
bd popeye

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
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National
9 Thai soldiers surrender in Mekong deaths

By Li Xinran | 2011-10-29 |

Oct 29, 2011

NINE suspects, all Royal Thai Army personnel, have turned themselves in for the attack on the Mekong River near the Thai-Myanmar border in which 13 Chinese sailors were killed, Thai police chief Pol Gen Priewpan Damapong said yesterday.

The nine soldiers involved were from the Third Army Command, headquartered in Phitsanulok, responsible for the northern parts of the kingdom, Damapong said.

He emphasized that the army and the government were not behind the killings. He said the police suspect the servicemen acted on the order of some local tycoons and further investigation is under way. He also said the Third Army Command assisted police in making the arrests.

"They are now put under custody in the city of Chiang Rai," Damapong said.

The victims were crew members on two cargo ships attacked on October 5 in the "Golden Triangle", where the borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet, a region notorious for drug smuggling.

Their bodies were found and salvaged from the river in northern Thailand.

The visiting Chinese vice minister of public security, Zhang Xinfeng, said the case will soon be referred for judicial proceedings.

"There has been important progress in this case today, and nine suspects have been caught, showing the case has been basically cracked," Zhang said. "Investigators will find more details, and China will continue to work with Thailand."

All nine suspects will stand for trial before a military court, according to the website of China's People's Daily.
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plawolf

plawolf

Lieutenant General
This story just smells worse ever time any new information emerges about it.

The Thai military taking an active part in drugs smuggling and murder. Even though the Thai army will insist these 9 men acted alone, nobody will believe that no other military personnel were involved. The Chinese must be applying massive pressure behind the scenes for this to not have been covered up, as this revelation is a massive black eye for the Thai military and government no matter what happens afterwards.

It is also interesting that these 9 men 'turned themselves in'. Surely they would have known that given the horrific nature and huge diplomatic pressure China is applying, that this is a death crime. It would be hard to see how these 9 men can expect to escape the death penalty if convicted.

Interesting that they turned themselves in instead of going on the run.

There is far more to this story then what has been reported. Lets see just how much of that gets published.
 
plawolf

plawolf

Lieutenant General
Unless the Thai government ordered this, the PLA will not get involved. Even if China does deem it necessary to send in men, they will come from the PAP, just like the men sent in to escort the stranded Chinese ships and crews back.

Anyone have any word on whether the Chinese are still suspending shipping?
 
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