Thai Catholics assist refugees fleeing Myanmar

Many of the refugees are hiding in the jungle near the Thanlyin River which marks the Thai-Myanmar border.

By LiCAS.news Reporter, Thailand

Mountainous terrain on the border between Myanmar and Thailand by Videvo

Volunteers from the Chiang Mai Diocese are assisting refugees who have fled Myanmar into Thailand to avoid fighting.

Bishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Chiang Mai said volunteers from his diocese are assisting in two areas near the Thai-Myanmar border just south of Thailand’s Salawin National Park.

The volunteers from the Social Development Office Diocese of Chiang Mai and Caritas Thailand have driven pick-up trucks loaded with supplies to assist the refugees who are from Myanmar’s Kayin State (Karen State).

Many of the refugees are hiding in the jungle near the Thanlyin River which marks the Thai-Myanmar border.

Escaping villagers from the Karen State are pictured in an unidentified location March 28, in this picture obtained from social media. (Photo from Karen Teacher Working Group)

Karen refugees carrying belongings are seen at a Salween/Thanlyin Riverbank in Mae Hong Son, Thailand March 29. (Karen Women's Organization via Reuters)

Urgent appeal from Diocese of Chiang Mai

The Irrawaddy news website said thousands of Karen refugees fled across the border after repeated airstrikes by the Myanmar military.

Some of the thousands of Karen villagers forced flee #Myanmar army air strikes shelter in the jungle on the Thai border. Footage provided by @FreeBurmaRangrs.#WhatsHappeninglnMyanmar pic.twitter.com/accV6oshV4
— Poppy McPherson (@poppymcp) March 29, 2021

Since the Feb. 1 coup, there has been a flare up in fighting between the Myanmar military and various ethnic militaries, including the Karen National Union.

Bishop Vira has issued an urgent appeal to Thailand’s religious communities to donate money, water, food, medicine and other essentials to assist with refugee relief efforts.

Update on Burma Army air strikes, 27 March 2021:

Burma Army airstrikes killed three villagers and wounded eight in bombing attack on Day Pu No area of Papun District in eastern Karen State, Burma. pic.twitter.com/xlT6BwPIGF
— Free Burma Rangers (@FreeBurmaRangrs) March 28, 2021

Bishop Vira urgent handwritten appeal for assistance with refugee relief efforts

Bishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana (Photo by Macsf - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Relief aid arrives

Additional truckloads of relief aids arrived in northwestern Thailand from Bangkok on April 9 to bring assistance to people fleeing the conflict in Myanmar.

With the convoy were members of The Federation of Religious Superiors in Thailand, headed by Mother Aranya Kitbunchu. Representatives of several religious congregation headed for Mae Hong Son where the refugees from Myanmar have been suffering due to shortage of food, water, medicine and other basic needs.

In Mae Hong Son, they were joined by the local Caritas team of Diocese of Chiang Mai for the distribution of the desperately needed relief aids.

Mother Aranya Kitbunchu (center) and members of The Federation of Religious Superiors in Thailand accompanying the relief aid convoy from Bangkok (photo by The Federation of Religious Superiors in Thailand)

Villagers have been forced from their homes in Myanmar's Karen state after the government bombed separatist rebels.

More on this: https://t.co/5zN11l6ITF pic.twitter.com/B7GIkTQL0E
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 31, 2021

Published April 1, 2021

In some areas, the border between Myanmar and Thailand is separated only by a narrow section of the Thanlyin river (photo by The Federation of Religious Superiors in Thailand)