In this week, the military junta authorities in Shan State East’s Mongton township, have passed a directive to the people who were not original inhabitants of the township to relocate to the newly developed sub-township of Monghta. Due to the order, many people have considered to move to Thailand, according to local sources.

The order was passed by the local commander of Mongton through village headmen two days ago. It ran that anyone who failed to comply with the instruction would have to return to their original places and no longer be allowed to reside in Mongton, said a non-native person in Pongpakhem sub-township, Mongton township.

“They [the authorities] said they would take responsibility to carry us [people who were going there] in their military trucks. They would also provide us with some furniture like wood and thatches when we got there,” he said.

“However no one is happy to go and stay there, because there is no business opportunity and no place to do agriculture. What will we eat there without jobs and farms? Will we have to start everything from the beginning again?” he added.

The project is expected to complete by the end of the month. According to many people speaking to SHAN, they said they planned to migrate to Thailand, while some others were still under confusion about where to go.

In Mongton township, there are two areas that attract most outside people to live in: Pongpakhem and Nakawngmu which are located on the significant point for trade. Nakawngmu alone consists of over 1,000 households, 900 of which are non-native people, according to locals in Nakawngmu.

Most of the non-natives are believed to come from Shan State South’s Mongkeung, Laikha, Loilem and Namzarn where clashes between Burma Army and rebel groups, especially the Shan State Army (SSA) ‘South’ usually took place.

“We don’t know what to do and what to expect over there since there is no any security. At the same time we don’t want to move to a new place. It will be so hard to start a new life there, and we cannot leave our property here behind too,” a 60 years old businessman said. “Some people who have relatives in Thailand think of going to work there,” added he.

The new sub-township, Monghta, is located west of Mongton, 44 kilometers north of Chiangmai's Wiang Haeng district. It is also cited between two brigades of United Wa State Army (UWSA) and on the gateway to SSA South which are opposition armed groups of the Burma Army. It has been developed a week ago by Brig-Gen Than Htun Oo, Commander of the Triangle Region Command.

It is believed to be one of the military junta’s projects to block the route of the UWSA fighters and the SSA fighters.