Gandar Mount P.S.O

It is small city on the hill-top in east Mong Su township but a lot of various nationals and tribes are living and striving to get money not only in a short time but also making a massive profit, by hardiness, although it is hazardous to them.

To the mountain city, where the natural ruby stones are dug and sold them as being good business, the merchants or visitors must depend on 4 wheel truck driving about 2 hours along mountainous route from botom of the mountain.

The ruby stones each weight from 2 to 20 carats could be found after diging out for 7 meters or more deeper and about 4 square-meters wide.

Many hard-laborers who risk to do across the country settle down here and try their luck.

The capitalists inclding Chineses, Indians, Burmese, Shans, Wa Army and Thais are waiting to buy alot of ruby stones.

The quality of the ruby is similar to ruby from Pai Lin of Cambodia.

The best ruby in the world is in Moe Goke mine in Burma and it is strictly controlled by the Burmese Junta.

The Junta allows only the Opium King Pins such as Lo Shin Han, Khun Sa and Way Zu Gong who pay revenue to run gem mines.

The alleged Mong Su city has since 1990 been popular with it’s beautiful red-ruby as the ruby-stones were firstly found by the Palawng tribe, who regularly living around the mountain area, during in rainy season.

But later after 1999 the situation in the city had apparently changed into turbulence because of inflowing original Chinese from mother land as in one hand, increasing drugs and weapons trafficking business in the area is on the other hand.

Merchants and capitalists are using the currency of US Dollar, Chinese Yuan and Thai baht only.

No electricity in the mountain-city but some,who are able to bring in a small petrol-engine for electricity from China, have own private electricity.

About 20,000 residents in the city strive to be rich only and also not to live in poverty while the country is being poverty-stricken situation.

Among the smugglers,hundreds of Thai involved in the arms, drugs and gems trafficking are also found in the City.

Thai traffickers, speak Shan and English for business talks (as Thais and Laos can talk to each other by using own language), run between the mountain city and Mae Sai border where their bosses or regular customers or investors are on alert in Takilek because of having better security than in Mae Sai.

For an example, short guns Pistols and Revolvers are being popular in the Ruby-land every body who have a lot of money ordered the guns from the Thai smugglers to use it for self- protection or resold them to others.

The Thai traffickers venture to do both illegal methamphetamine and guns business while they have friendships with the Red Wa Army and Shan Army forces, which had agreed cease-fire with the Burmese Government since 1998, being active around the mountain.

About 4,000 of Shans and Wa soldiers from the both armed groups are depending on these illegal business for their survival as long as they are alloted to base here by their high ranking leaders from Headquarters.

Only the majors and captains from each group command their soldiers and control their high income.

About 1,000 Burmese soldiers whose commanders must be friends with the cease-fire groups depend on the tax-payment from the Wa and Shan as well as from the wealthy Chinese-groups who run gambling dens business and brewery.

Two drug courier are able to carry 10,000 drug-pill, driving motorcycle from the mountain to the Thai border by gungle route.

The drug courier however have to hire the Shan motorcyclist who is familiar with the jungle route to avoid the Burmese security gates setting up for checking passengers who travel by cars and trucks loading with goods.

One amphetamine pill produced and sold by Wa army cost only 30 baht when sold it in border it would cost 100 baht.,the border price. A new revolver cost 40,000
baht and a new pistol coast 50,000 baht.

Both must be USA and Italy made as they preferred to use it than China made.

The used shot guns in good condition are also bought but cheap.

New or used short guns are collected in Mae Sai.

Had the trafficking of Heroin alarm Australians?

In 1981, being in crisis situation, the SSA force scattered throughout Shan State and had been trying to survive by recollecting funds, which mostly taxed live-stock, opium, gems, antiques and sandalwood, from various merchandisers who crossed Salween River from west to east bank and continued to Thai borders of Mae Hong Son, Chiang Dao and Mae Sai.

The regrouped SSA soldiers commanded by Major Koan Mong as a breadwinner set tax collecting points in three ferries along east bank of the river, each route of ferry which is major link to the districts borders. The goods made in Thailand were also taxed when its merchants returned homes.

During a month alone hundreds of various traders included Chinese from Go Gang State, Ka Chin State, Shan State, Mo Goke, Mandalay etc, traveling by on foot and horses, using them as goods carriers, to the Thai border while Salween river was the main interim of the long journey.

The trip between the river and the border spent about 3 days if no harassment on the way.

Sometime Burmese armed troops robbed merchants while they were on patrol, fighting between armed drug-trafficking groups and the Burmese patrolled forces were also often busted out in mountainous ares as well.

The Burmese soldiers, when they are in the jungle, were accused as the robbers.

They might have been instructed by their big master in the Regiment.

Three Austrians, the Film-makers of Documentary which was said to have concerned with “Drugs and Politics” in Shan State of Burma, arrived in east Salween River to meet the SSA members by crossing Mae Hong Son border.

They only said they were from Australia and had contacted UPI (Unite Press International) based in Bangkok to be here.

They firstly met the SSA’s liaison officer in Mae Hong Son and then moved forwards to the river escorted by Shan guards.

They stayed there for 4 days to take pictures of various travelers and mule-caravan moving across west bank to east bank of the river.

The three in fact wished to go inner-most of the battle fields and opium-grow in central Shan State, if they had an opportunity, as hoped to record on exchanged fires between rebels and Burmese.

SSA could could not guarantee for their safety.

Interested interview had conducted, is it true that Australia is being transit- point of Drug trafficking?

—be continued—

The Shan State Army (SSA) in between 1967-1976 had been the strongest force among the rebellion groups such as Burmese Communist Party, Ka Chin, Ka Ren Ni, Pao,Pa -Long, La Hu, Ka Yarn, Arican, Chin, Nar Ga, Wa (not the red Wa joined the Burmese Communists) and Mon, all of which are longstanding fighting for the freedom.

But the SSA compare with Ka Ren force KNU was smaller.

The KNU’ strengths were about 6000 while the SSA has only 3000 soldiers with arms.

The foregoing KNU had more military experience in the longrun fightings with the Government military invasions.

The military strongholds of the Shans in the northern, southern areas and Central Shan State were steadfast,but leaved out the eastern because there were many Mafia-like terrorist forces involved drugs trade were active.

The SSA soldiers had been able to take away many military equipments including M 16 rifles by frequent assaulted on the Burmese outpost-camps.

The SSA had financial problem to buy arms.

Numerous fightings between the Burmese and Shans bursted out throughout the year as the Shan force was believed to have been the Shan Communists being backed by the Chinese.

Infact, the SSA did not accept the Communist System but accepted the Chinese’s aid.

The Chinese, in order to support the longstanding Shan Nationalists being fought for the freedom, provided 2000 arms included pistols and M 21 assault-rifles to the Shan army.

Before received the arms, the Shan learders visited China as respecting to invitation of the Chinese authorities.

They were warm welcomed.

Chinese made huge military weapons were also shown up as a knowledge for useful to battle.

The Chinese at that time had no good relations with the Burmese tried to recruit the Burmese Communisti’strength.

What the Chinese was that let the communist party stay in the SSA.

The Shan State Army (SSA), which has been struggling for Shan Freedom as long as over 30 years, suffered from total lost by its miscount that providing assistances to Khun Sa and Lo Shin Han when they fled to SSA strongholds for temporarily shelter. (Following to stories of Khun Sa and Lo Shin Han)

Khun Sa and Lo Sin Han both of them were in anyway forced to tell the truth of the SSA’s strengths, arms, military equipments, etc and the strongholds’s whereabouts to the Burmese Junta.

The Burmese army had frequently launched out an attack the SSA’s longstanding strongholds and headquarters in the north and central State.

The strenth of 1500 with full arms from the strongholds and outposts seperatedly posed to attack the Burmese invaders.

Heavy fighting and Skirmish between the SSA rebells and the Gonernment had to be occurred when the Burmese military operations moved in on the SSA’s vast controlled areas.

The situation around the battle fields in north,south and central state had become quiet when the villagers fled to towns while some fled toThai border.

The villagers uncocerned with the politics had to be questioned and tortured by the Burmese soldiers.

Some villagers were died from gun shots during exanged fires.

Livestocks were also killed for foods.

Young women were raped.

Tens of thousands of houses left behind were burnt down.

This had been the burdensome for them.

The Company was established in 1993 when Lo Sin Han’s son Steven Lo, who is being the key person in it’s trade business with companies in Singapore, was interested in hotel-business and housing projects as Gen.Khin Nyunt paved the way for overseas ex-pension in 1993.

Kuok-Singapore Ltd. Lo Sin Han’s Asia wolrd and the Burmese Ruler are also partners in the luxuious Traders Hotel situated in corner of Su Le Pagoda and Bo Aung Kyaw roads, Rangoon.

Singapore’s economic link with the Burmese is one of the factors for the survival of Junta’s regime.

This link is also expension of the heroin trade.

Singapore is being the Junta’s top business partner and largest foreign investor.

Steven’s wife, native of Singapore, operates underground and is contact for people in Burma to get their drug money into Singapore, overseas branches of Asia World financial activity.

As both countries continue to celebrate their complementary relationship is the powerful support to its booming billion dollar drug-trade.

A pattern Singapore’s investment in Burma open door for the drug traffickers, giving them access to banks and financial systems.

Junta and drug lords have been able to take advantage of Singapore Bank Law and Money laundering opptunity.

For instance, Junta laundered $400 million through a Singapore bank.

Singapore had become a major player in Asian comerce.

Lo Shin Han and his business partners have been doing the drug businese under control of the Government in Burma for over 3 decades, since 1974, the Govenment of Ne Win, until today.

But he and his brother Lo Shin Min began to do their drug business in Go Gang State since about 1960 with freedom and without Burmese’s harassment.

Besides the drug trafficking, white and rediquors were also produced which widely distribued throughout the Shan State.

At that time he was offered to establish “Go Gang Defence Force” which inclded 300 strength of Go Gang Chinese only, to protect the rebel groups, the Shan State Army, the Burmese Communist and Ku Ming Tong (KMT) by the Ne Win Government.

Arms and military equipments were collected in Mae Sai.

Lo Shin Min set a drug distributed center in Ta Ki Lek opposite Mae Sai boder town.

Lo Sin Han’s Company at that time was able to refine opium into Mitsu (No.3 pink color) only not yet No.4 white heroin.

The Ku Ming Tong forces led by Gen.Lee 3rd Brigade commander and Gen.Doan 5th Brigade commander defeated by the communist in 1949, took sanctury in Shan State by the thousands.

By then, due to KMT’s promotion policy couple with Burmese economic mismanagement and secret encouragement, popy cultivation and opium trading had jumped on a shockingly rapid scale.

Lo Shin Han, as the opium trader,was secreatly cntacted by the KMT for opium trade.

The secret friendships between the Go Gang and the KMT (the KMT has already joined Burma Commnist and attacked Khun Sa’s army and the Burmese army as frequently) leaked out after yearslong.

In 1973, the Government proclaimed that Lo Shin Han was the traitor and must be given to dead-sentence.Lo Shin Han narrowly escaped and fled to the Shan State Army’s controlled area of Mong Yai township, northern Shan State, and asked for security.

All of his folowers scatteringly fled to the jungle with arms.

Arrival of Lo Shin Han was coincident with making Documentry of Shan’s revolutionary movement by Britishs AdrianCowel and Chris, the Britishs.

Lo Shin Han’s plan was to stay in Thailan so that he asked the SSA leader to send him to Thai border.

In return,he provides financial assistance to SSA.

Lo had met Shan leaders including Soe Leant, Commander in Chief, Buan Tai, Chairman and Col.Sam Mong, Divisional commander in the area.

Shan leaders agreed to Lo’s wish and set a security troops for a week long by on foot to the border.

But before reaching Mae Hong Son boder, in Mong Mai area, the Thai Border Police force promptly captured him and despatched to Bangkok and later repatriated to Rangoon.

Thai and Burmese had signed agreement that repatriation of criminals.

– To be continued –

Wa chief Pao U Ho and Pao U Shan, the brothers, who in their young aged has been longtime in the Bumese Communist Party as armed troops commander, known as Red Wa Faction and attacked the Burmese soldiers frequently in the Shan State while the communists tried to penetrate into Burma plain via northern Shan Sate where the strong S.S.A force had been basing.

At that time the Communist leaders and the S.S.A had already agreed for joint-military operations against the Governmentis invasion.

About 1987, when the Communist defuncted, the Wa regroped and became the Reginal Defence Force strength about 1,400 troops under agreement of the Government.

But they rejected to surreder their arms because of not the political activists.

From that time on Wa had been able to expanded their opium-growth and porduced tonns of raw opium but did not have experience in refined heroin.

In 1980, Wa leaders met Wai Xu Gong, Wai Xu Lin and Wai Xu Yin, three are dubbed as “Wai Brothers” among the drug traffickers.

They fled Khun Sa’s MTA and joined the Wa through a middle man for the drug refinery, since then Wa youths are sent to Chinna to learn Chinese curriculum.

The youths have konwledge of Chinese traditional culture, civilizationas and well society.

They later became the businesesslike to work for the group.

Wai Xu Gong had been imprisoned in Bangkok charged him as drug trafficker, but he in luck managed to escape from the jail by his assistants.

Using a lot of money for the escape.

So that he dad been wanted among the Drug traffickers.

Pao U Shan has been also wanted.

Pao U Ho died of decease in August 2007.

Their permanent Headquartes is located in Pang Sang closed China border.

The top leaders in the Wa group speak Burmese, Shan and Chinese well.

Their partner Hoo ChoonTeing,also the drug mafia, was captured in Hong Kong last year.

The war on drug would nerver be broken again in the region of opium fields as the Burmese regiments are basing throughout the Shan State and have stopped stagging opium crackdowns and never taken action against major peddlers in their midst.

The Burmese special regiment is protecting Wai Xu Gang’s stockpiled million of methamphetamine pills in Doi Phoong hilltop linking to Tardon, Mae Ai boder of Fang district.

The Wai Brothers have vast lichee-orchard in Fang district.

Tin Guan Min was gunned down in a hotel in Kun Min City, China, and Sy Pao was shot dead in front of a hotel in Chieng Mai, Thailand, both are Wa tribes and Wai Xu Gong’s trusted drug agents.

They are believed to have been killed by Khun Sa’ gunmen about 3 or 4 years before the MTA surrendered in 2996.

Wa army is not an exceptionally disciplined but well equiped, and spirited self defense force that secures their borders from all invaders.

The solidarity of their free people insures their continued security.

They control their reginal and the drugs that pass trough it.

They can keep trafficking and elevate future growing.

To do it only requires resonable assistance and cooperation in economic dependency opium.

Their produced heroin were flown to Saigon for sale and export.

The heroin production was accelerated to help finance Wa Troops mercenary.

Worldwide drug supression could not be able to stop production and distribution of opium products.

Thai autorities had spent billions of dollars to stop solely white heroin in Thai territory.

The heroins in the Shan State and Afghanistan are preferablely transported to the New York, yet trafficking steadily escalated.

Yearly, between 800-900 tonns of raw opium are produced in Go Gang, Wa and Shan States.

The Burmese Ruler instead eagerly urges the qualified producers to produce best quality as the opium is called as “Burma’s tree money”.

And the Wa leaders have ever declared that Thailand alone could rapidly raise massive money by selling drug-pills (alias) methamphetamines produced 5 millions pills a day, no demands from other countries.

The Burmese is being able to collect massive money from the Wa as the concessionaries.

(Related storry will be continued)

The empire was since about three years ago built in Pyinmana districrt which is about 300 miles north of Rangoon.

The military Rulers named their empire as, in Burmese “Nay Pyi Taw”, to where all Ministeries are also moved and the Government staffs are also forced to live.

Any Government staff who rejects to live in the Nay Pyi Taw City would be imbeached.

Official visiting of Foreign country leaders received a warm welcome in this Nay Pyi Taw.

Armed Burmese soldiers are posed for 24 hours security around the new city.

To build the new city, the Drug lords including Lo Shin Han, Khun Sa , Wa and other drug groups under Junta’s control are forced to donate millions dollar.

Construction meterials costed 4,000 million baht, as the loan given by Thai, are imported from Thailand during Gen.Khin Nyunt was Prime Minister and Tuksin Government of Thai.

The meterials are to be used in new city.

Both Prime Ministers signed for the loan with interest.

The two prime ministers were ousted on a charge of corruption.

Tuksin’s corruption charge is believed involved with the loan.

Over 62, 000 billion baht belonged to Tuksin’s family in the Banks in Thailand is being halted by Thai authority of “Anti Corruption Commitee.”

Tuk Sin, during his 5 years regime ,had corrupted many Mega Projects in the country.

The Burmese Junta however still maintains good relations with him.

The drug lords are belived to have expanse of opium grow in the Shan State alone.

The opium growers are provided rice, dried food and cash payment in advance due to more demands of heroin traffickers from abroad.

The Chinese Drug lords are likely to understand that they are walking on the rpoe above crocodile farm.

As well as they are accused by the Burmese activists for the Democracy as annual providing the Junta’s military funds.

Fa Lung alias Chang Shi Shwen and Khun Seng alias Ronal, closests aides of Khun Sa, are important persons in any case.

They have respectfully been working for the aim of the boss.

Fa Lung used to be the military advisor to Burmese Army commander in chief.

Both have to be successors to carry on the party’s business with massive financial ties to Singapore as Khun Sa had been Burma’s top investor.

Singapore is more than willing to share the drug lords.

Burmese and Singapore level work committee was formed in 1993 to increase mutual interests.

Gen. Khin Nyunt headed the Burmese committee.

Singapore’s investment in Burma is opening door for the drug dealers and giving them access to banks and financial system.

Attentions around the world currently focuse on Burma’s situation after being dead of warlord.

Khun Sa and Lo Sing Han were the key performers in the Burmese economy.

Both had been successful business men in Burma.

The Wa force not long after the MTA surrendered had moved to Mong Mai base to control boder area independenly.

Two rich Chineses, Lao Dai and Charle ,involed heroin trade and longtime Khun Sa’s trusted assistants were captured by US DEA in Mae Sai.

The two men left behind and continued to stay in Ta Ki Lek city had been taken to America.

This news bade Khun SA unhappy.