The Burma Army is reportedly going to set up a new town and 3 more battalions in Shan State East's Mongton Township bordering with Thailand's Chiangmai province, where the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and the Shan State Army (SSA) 'South' are active, according to local sources.

The location of the new town will be at Monghta village tract, west of Mongton, 44 kilometers north of Chiangmai's Wiang Haeng district. This project was announced when Brig-Gen Than Htun Oo, Commander of the Triangle Region Command, visited the areas recently, said Mongton residents.

"He [the commander] told that Monghta village will be developed into a town and will place at least 3 permanent battalions there and urge people to relocate there," a resident said. "No one gave him [the commander] any response on that day 12 January."

According to him, a plot of land will be sold at Kyat 45,000 (U $ 50). The commander was reported to have arrived in the area since 11 January and was still said to be touring in their bases along the Thai-Burma border until yesterday.

A Thai-Burma border watcher analyst on the subject of the planned project that the military junta is likely to block the route of the UWSA fighters because Monghta, where the project will taken place, is positioned between operational areas of UWSA's 778th Brigade and 772nd Brigade and also serves as the gateway to the anti-Naypyitaw Shan State Army (SSA) 'South" base Loi Taileng.

"It will be easy for them [the junta] to watch over all the movements not only of the Wa but also the SSA fighters if they can hold this point plus Thai army activities," he said.

A similar project was also reported to be constructed in Shan State South's areas between the Shan State Army (SSA) North bases in the west and United Wa State Army (UWSA) bases in the east, in December. It was the installation of artillery and infantry units in areas where the two groups [SSA 'North' and Wa] that are at loggerheads with the junta are active.

Currently, the number of reports of the Burma Army's expansion in the ethnic states, especially in armed groups controlled areas, has increased.
Nevertheless, many think that there as yet any sign of a major operation, but believe it will be after a new government is installed. The first session of Burma's new parliament will be convened on 31 January.