Khun Sa makes no secret of the fact that his goal is to control entire length of the border to mobilise all trades
Popular as he is with his men, it is not entirely clear where Khun Sa’s political loyalties lie.
Although supposedly fighting for independence from the Government, the mongtai army MTA actually to expend most of its firepower on its rival insurgents (BCP).
This reflects a secret nonagression pact with the Government.
American drug agents also charge that Khun Sa’s anti-communism has not stopped him from buying raw opium from the BCP.
He maintains as “My people need to grow opium to make a living”.
He also has managed to work his way to the head of Sha nationalist.
Mo Haing nominally heads the TRC but his subodinates including senior politicians and military commanders believed that Khun Sa excercise the muscle.
For his personality and power, he remains in a precarious position.
He’s at odds with his drug rivals, Wa, the KMT and BCP and he’s a virtual prisoner in the border zone.
With the Burmese army on one side and the Thai and DEA on the other.
Kun Sa’s future might be considered even less certain than that of the Shan State.
But he is a proven survivor and he has an opium crop in Loi Maw area in west Salwin river.
With an estimate 4,000 soldiers well equipped operating 10 to 12 heroin laboratories, they range from small, makeshift operations in the backwoods to well-equipped laboratories employing as many as 60 chemists and technicians.
