TAK, Dec 15 (TNA) – Officials were deployed to secure order at a Myanmar refugee camp in Ban Mae La village of Tha Song Yang district after about 1,000 refugees caused a riot last night.
Debris remained at the refugee camp this morning after rioters hit and torched 13 guards’ kiosks, officials’ living quarters and dozens of officials’ vehicles.
Officials were still unable to survey the damage inside the camp. Paramilitary rangers were deployed to help administrative officials who were trying to resume negotiation with refugees there.
The riot started last night when administrative officials found refugees riding motorcycles towards the camp without wearing a face mask. The officials warned them to wear face masks and seized their motorcycles. The refugees were upset with the seizure and tried in vain to retrieve the motorcycles.
Then they instigated the riot among about 1,000 other refugees. A deputy governor of Tak asked them to stop the violence and then the refugees retreated into their camp where more than 40,000 people lived. (TNA)
