Myanmar military blames resistance groups for shooting into Thailand to stir conflict

Myanmar’s military has denied responsibility for a cross-border shooting that injured a Thai civilian, accusing ethnic armed groups and anti-junta forces of deliberately firing into Thailand to provoke tensions between the two countries.

In a statement issued on 3 November, the military’s True News Information Team accused the Karen National Union (KNU), its armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the National Unity Government (NUG), the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) and the People’s Defence Forces (PDF) of attempting to undermine relations between Myanmar and Thailand.

The statement, published by Myanmar’s state-run Myanmar International Television (MITV), specifically addressed an incident on 29 October in which a Thai civilian was injured by 12.7 mm heavy machine-gun fire near the border.

Myanmar’s military denied that its troops were responsible, claiming that resistance fighters had deliberately fired into Thai territory to damage bilateral relations.

“The relevant Thai military authorities have already been informed that weapons of this type are not utilized by the Myanmar Tatmadaw,” the statement said.

The military claimed it had provided clarification to Thai military authorities, although the statement did not disclose details of any supporting evidence.

It also accused resistance groups and media outlets critical of the military of spreading false information, including rumours that warehouses on the Thai side of the border would be attacked.

According to the statement, such reports were intended to frighten border communities and create hostility between the two countries.

The allegations against the resistance groups have not been independently verified.

The military expressed sympathy for the injured Thai civilian and insisted that it respected Thailand’s sovereignty.

“The Myanmar Tatmadaw will never engage in actions that infringe upon the sovereignty of other countries,” the statement said.

It described Myanmar and Thailand as “Natural Strategic Partners”, stressing their longstanding government-to-government, military-to-military and people-to-people relations.

The statement followed a warning from Bangkok on 2 November urging Myanmar’s military to exercise caution during operations near the shared border.

On 31 October, Myanmar military airstrikes targeting a KNU position in Karen State’s Hpapun Township damaged buildings across the border in Thailand’s Mae Hong Son province, according to a report by the independent Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB). No casualties were reported in that incident.

Fighting has intensified in Hpapun between Myanmar’s military and the KNLA, particularly around Sinswel village, approximately 32 kilometres south of Hpapun.

The KNU has reported that at least seven civilians have been killed, 47 injured and more than 54,000 displaced across 67 villages in Hpapun since May as a result of military airstrikes and attacks. These figures have not been independently verified.

Despite the Myanmar military’s accusations, KNU spokesperson Saw Kler Say told DVB that the organisation maintained close relations with Thai authorities and that both sides respected each other.

The Myanmar military reiterated that it would continue cooperating with Thailand to maintain border security, protect civilians and preserve regional stability.