In the wake of the military take over power on Tuesday, coup leaders imposed martial law through out Thailand which restricts the gathering of more than five people.
"We definitely cannot carry out the Bangkok action due to the situation here. We have decided that it is in our best interests to also postpone the GDA in countries worldwide as well," said the organizers of the Global Day of Action against Salween Dam in a statement released on Wednesday.
Rights activists, campaigners and environmental conservationists across the world had planned to stage a massive demonstration in front of Thai embassies and consulates as well as conduct a press conference in Bangkok on September 21, to demand that the Thai government stop its plan to build five dams on the Salween River.
However, the political turmoil in Bangkok led to an abrupt cancellation.
"We will be having the GDA in the near future," the statement said but it does not mention the new date.
While Thai citizens, loyal to the king, widely welcomed the coup led by Army Commander-in-Chief General Sondhi Boonyaratkalin, there is mixed reaction among Burmese dissidents and organizations based in Thailand over the possible imposition of restrictions on their movement and crackdown on democratic forces.
The Naga National League for Democracy today warned Burmese dissident groups based in Thailand to be cautious of their movement in the light of a possible joint crackdown by the Thai Army and the Burmese Army.
The NNLD, an ethnic Naga political organization based on the Indo-Burmese border, in a statement expressed strong suspicion of the Burmese junta's involvement in the military coup in Thailand, which took place a week after Gen. Sondhi met Burmese military supremo, Than Shwe, in the new capital of Naypyidaw in central Burma.
However, other Burmese activists as well as a few ethnic armed rebel groups such as the Shan State Army (South) dismissed such a possibility, claiming that the coup was an internal affair of Thailand.
U Win Min, a Burmese political analyst based in Thailand said while the political changes in Thailand will not have a direct affect on Burmese activists and their activities, however, the coup leaders currently in-charge of the government, may be a little reluctant to support the Burmese democracy movement.
"Apart from the order not to hold gatherings of more than five people, I don't think there will be any restriction on Burmese dissidents and activists. And so far everything remains the same here [in Thailand]," U Win Min told Mizzima.
He also hoped that the new government, to be installed within a year as promised by the coup leaders, might be more democratic and might like to see Burma moving ahead with democratization.
Gen. Sondhi on Wednesday said he will take charge of the premiership for two weeks and hand over charge to a competent, neutral and democratic civilian to be chosen by the "Administrative Reform Council" – formed by coup leaders.
Following the coup, Thailand shut-down all border points, freezing border trade with neighboring countries including Burma, and replaced police and security personnel with troops. Reports suggest that Thailand had increased the number of troops deployed on the border with Burma.
While a few speculate this move as a possible threat to Burmese insurgents operating in the border region, the Shan State Army (South), the largest remaining Shan rebel group in eastern Burma, said they feel no sign of threat or see any major changes in their area of operation.
Hnam Khur Hsen, spokeswoman of the SSA (S) said, "We do not see any such move [deployment of more troops] and even if there are we don't know. But as far as we are concerned we feel no threat, and we feel perfectly safe."
"Even if it is true [that more troops are deployed], it is natural because with the change of regime the government wants to protect its borders," she added.
The Karen National Union, Burma's largest insurgent group based in Thai-Burmese border, said the situation in their region of operation remain perfectly the same.
