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—

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 –

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.

Although Mr. Khun Sa died his two sons Sam Seng and Sam Huarn, both aged over 40, have to be carrying on their profiable busines which is under protection of the Burmese Junta. The 2 brothers have long time been working the business and have well experience since before the surrender.

Sam Huarn permanently stays in Tachilek opposite Mae Sai border while Sam Seng stays in Bangkok to keep contacts from America, Singapore and Australia.

After the Surrender, Sam Seng moved to America where his three sisters living as permanently.

Khun Sa and his close alliance, family - linked smugglers and importers who are members of Chinese Triads.

They operate solely with relatives and transact million-dollar deals on a whispered word or a nod.

Their livelihood depends on a steady supply of heroin’s raw meterial,which they purchase from other supplyers.

They process the raw-opium into first-grade heroin and take it to Bangkok, where they smuggle it on to international flights or load it into false-bottomed fishing boats bound for Hong Kong or Penang, Malaysia.

From there it’s shipped to the Pacific Islands and to the West Coast of the Uinited States.

The key figure in this process is Khun Sa, for he controlls the supply of opium.

Khun Sa is directly responsible for about one-thard of the heroin used by the drug addicts in the United States.

The U.S is primarily interested in Asian heroin.

Which is usually very pure and comparatively cheap and represents about 35 percent of the heroin that’s available in the States.

The flow of heroin from the Shan State had become doubled as Khun Sa was concessionaire of drug corporation.

He spent about 250 million US dollar for road construction Between Rangoon and Mandalay, about 800 miles distance,which is for good transportaion.

Air conditioned coachs imported from Singapore to run between the two cities.

Khun Sa and his Chinese comrades become to have a very serious challange.

Although they do have the resolve and the confidence but no support and assistance of the Burmese except give in.

As it is difficult to make both ends meet, Khun SA has tried to call back the broke away 2 forces leaders Gun Yod and Yod Suek with special offer.

He repeatly called for the 2 commanders during in 1995 to be reunited but in vain.

This is in one hand, on the other hand is the Thai military is planning to attack his MTA army basing along the border areas.

In Mae Sai border,Thai has placed cannons which is aiming at MTA’s military outposts.

The Wa group UWNA which has already reinforced strength is marching to the west bank of Salween river to block KMTas the Shans have resisted Khun Sa.

Bao U Shang, the Wa tribe and leading the UWNA force, has joined hands with Wai Xio Gong in Drugs corporation.

Wai Xio Gong also controls about 300 militiamen to guard his heroin refinery bases in mountain range of Loi Larn and Moung Toan which are linked and opposite Fang border.

The Opium caravan between Fang border and Wa state has been attacked by MTA many times and the soldiers of both sides suffered dead and wounded.