By , MAE SARIANG, Thailand (Reuters) - Thai authorities on Monday denied forcing back more than 2,000 refugees who had fled air strikes in Myanmar, but a local official said it was government policy for the army to block them at the border and deny access to outside aid groups.Thousands of people fled Myanmar over the weekend after fighter jets attacked villages near the border held by a force from the Karen ethnic group that had attacked a military post in the wake of a Feb. 1 coup by Myanmar’s army.Mark Farmaner, head of Burma Campaign UK, told Reuters that thousands of people had been...…By , MAE SARIANG, Thailand (Reuters) - Thai authorities on Monday denied forcing back more than 2,000 refugees who had fled air strikes in Myanmar, but a local official said it was government policy for the army to block them at the border and deny access to outside aid groups.Thousands of people fled Myanmar over the weekend after fighter jets attacked villages near the border held by a force from the Karen ethnic group that had attacked a military post in the wake of a Feb. 1 coup by Myanmar’s army.Mark Farmaner, head of Burma Campaign UK, told Reuters that thousands of people had been...WW…

By BANGKOK (Reuters) - Pupils at more than a dozen Thai high schools raised three-finger “Hunger Games” salutes during the national anthem on Tuesday in a sign of spreading support for student-led anti-government protests.Demonstrations that began on university campuses have taken place almost daily since mid-July in an increasing challenge to the ruling establishment in the Southeast Asian country that has long been dominated by the army and the monarchy.High school protests during morning assemblies began in at least eight schools on Monday. The three-finger salute has been a symbol of...…By BANGKOK (Reuters) - Pupils at more than a dozen Thai high schools raised three-finger “Hunger Games” salutes during the national anthem on Tuesday in a sign of spreading support for student-led anti-government protests.Demonstrations that began on university campuses have taken place almost daily since mid-July in an increasing challenge to the ruling establishment in the Southeast Asian country that has long been dominated by the army and the monarchy.High school protests during morning assemblies began in at least eight schools on Monday. The three-finger salute has been a symbol of...WW…

By , BANGKOK (Reuters) - More than 10,000 Thai protesters chanting “down with dictatorship” and “the country belongs to the people” rallied in Bangkok on Sunday in by far the biggest anti-government demonstration since a 2014 coup.There were cheers for student calls to curb the monarchy’s powers - once a taboo subject - as well as demands for the departure of former junta leader Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a new constitution and an end to the harrasment of opposition activists.Students have led protests almost daily for the past month, but Sunday’s demonstration drew a broader crowd...…By , BANGKOK (Reuters) - More than 10,000 Thai protesters chanting “down with dictatorship” and “the country belongs to the people” rallied in Bangkok on Sunday in by far the biggest anti-government demonstration since a 2014 coup.There were cheers for student calls to curb the monarchy’s powers - once a taboo subject - as well as demands for the departure of former junta leader Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a new constitution and an end to the harrasment of opposition activists.Students have led protests almost daily for the past month, but Sunday’s demonstration drew a broader crowd...WW…

By , BANGKOK (Reuters) - More than 10,000 Thai protesters chanting “down with dictatorship” and “the country belongs to the people” rallied in Bangkok on Sunday in by far the biggest anti-government demonstration since a 2014 coup.There were cheers for student calls to curb the monarchy’s powers - once a taboo subject - as well as demands for the departure of former junta leader Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a new constitution and an end to the harrasment of opposition activists.Students have led protests almost daily for the past month, but Sunday’s demonstration drew a broader crowd...…By , BANGKOK (Reuters) - More than 10,000 Thai protesters chanting “down with dictatorship” and “the country belongs to the people” rallied in Bangkok on Sunday in by far the biggest anti-government demonstration since a 2014 coup.There were cheers for student calls to curb the monarchy’s powers - once a taboo subject - as well as demands for the departure of former junta leader Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a new constitution and an end to the harrasment of opposition activists.Students have led protests almost daily for the past month, but Sunday’s demonstration drew a broader crowd...WW…

By , MAE HONG SON, Thailand (Reuters) - Tracing his fingers over a “Love and Peace” tattoo inked on his forearm in a misty valley on the Thai-Myanmar border, 49-year-old former soldier Isaac said he was contemplating a return to war.An ex-fighter with the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) he said he had spent years battling government forces in the eastern jungles before settling in northern Thailand. For decades, soldiers like him have fought for greater autonomy for minorities from a central government and army dominated by majority Bamar Buddhists.Now, with the country in turmoil...…By , MAE HONG SON, Thailand (Reuters) - Tracing his fingers over a “Love and Peace” tattoo inked on his forearm in a misty valley on the Thai-Myanmar border, 49-year-old former soldier Isaac said he was contemplating a return to war.An ex-fighter with the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) he said he had spent years battling government forces in the eastern jungles before settling in northern Thailand. For decades, soldiers like him have fought for greater autonomy for minorities from a central government and army dominated by majority Bamar Buddhists.Now, with the country in turmoil...WW…

By , MAE HONG SON, Thailand (Reuters) - Tracing his fingers over a “Love and Peace” tattoo inked on his forearm in a misty valley on the Thai-Myanmar border, 49-year-old former soldier Isaac said he was contemplating a return to war.An ex-fighter with the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) he said he had spent years battling government forces in the eastern jungles before settling in northern Thailand. For decades, soldiers like him have fought for greater autonomy for minorities from a central government and army dominated by majority Bamar Buddhists.Now, with the country in turmoil...…By , MAE HONG SON, Thailand (Reuters) - Tracing his fingers over a “Love and Peace” tattoo inked on his forearm in a misty valley on the Thai-Myanmar border, 49-year-old former soldier Isaac said he was contemplating a return to war.An ex-fighter with the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) he said he had spent years battling government forces in the eastern jungles before settling in northern Thailand. For decades, soldiers like him have fought for greater autonomy for minorities from a central government and army dominated by majority Bamar Buddhists.Now, with the country in turmoil...WW…

By , MAE SARIANG, Thailand (Reuters) - Thai authorities on Monday denied forcing back more than 2,000 refugees who had fled air strikes in Myanmar, but a local official said it was government policy for the army to block them at the border and deny access to outside aid groups.Thousands of people fled Myanmar over the weekend after fighter jets attacked villages near the border held by a force from the Karen ethnic group that had attacked a military post in the wake of a Feb. 1 coup by Myanmar’s army.Mark Farmaner, head of Burma Campaign UK, told Reuters that thousands of people had been...…By , MAE SARIANG, Thailand (Reuters) - Thai authorities on Monday denied forcing back more than 2,000 refugees who had fled air strikes in Myanmar, but a local official said it was government policy for the army to block them at the border and deny access to outside aid groups.Thousands of people fled Myanmar over the weekend after fighter jets attacked villages near the border held by a force from the Karen ethnic group that had attacked a military post in the wake of a Feb. 1 coup by Myanmar’s army.Mark Farmaner, head of Burma Campaign UK, told Reuters that thousands of people had been...WW…

By , MAE SARIANG, Thailand (Reuters) - Thai authorities on Monday denied forcing back more than 2,000 refugees who had fled air strikes in Myanmar, but a local official said it was government policy for the army to block them at the border and deny access to outside aid groups.Thousands of people fled Myanmar over the weekend after fighter jets attacked villages near the border held by a force from the Karen ethnic group that had attacked a military post in the wake of a Feb. 1 coup by Myanmar’s army.Mark Farmaner, head of Burma Campaign UK, told Reuters that thousands of people had been...…By , MAE SARIANG, Thailand (Reuters) - Thai authorities on Monday denied forcing back more than 2,000 refugees who had fled air strikes in Myanmar, but a local official said it was government policy for the army to block them at the border and deny access to outside aid groups.Thousands of people fled Myanmar over the weekend after fighter jets attacked villages near the border held by a force from the Karen ethnic group that had attacked a military post in the wake of a Feb. 1 coup by Myanmar’s army.Mark Farmaner, head of Burma Campaign UK, told Reuters that thousands of people had been...WW…

By , CHIANG MAI, Thailand (Reuters) - Myanmar’s ethnic armed factions will not stand by and do nothing if the military junta’s forces continue to kill protesters, the leader of one of the main armed groups said on Saturday.Slideshow At least 16 protesters were killed by security forces across Myanmar on Saturday, according to local media and witnesses, as the junta celebrated the annual Armed Forces Day.“The Myanmar Armed Forces Day isn’t an armed forces day, it’s more like the day they killed people,” General Yawd Serk, chair of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army - South...…By , CHIANG MAI, Thailand (Reuters) - Myanmar’s ethnic armed factions will not stand by and do nothing if the military junta’s forces continue to kill protesters, the leader of one of the main armed groups said on Saturday.Slideshow At least 16 protesters were killed by security forces across Myanmar on Saturday, according to local media and witnesses, as the junta celebrated the annual Armed Forces Day.“The Myanmar Armed Forces Day isn’t an armed forces day, it’s more like the day they killed people,” General Yawd Serk, chair of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army - South...WW…

By , MAE SOT, Thai-Myanmar border (Reuters) - Hundreds of people have fled Myanmar’s towns and cities since last month’s military coup and are sheltering in areas controlled by ethnic militias on the Thai border, an official from one of the groups said on Thursday, as Thailand prepared for a surge of refugees.Slideshow An official from the Karen National Union (KNU), which has been fighting the Myanmar army for decades, said almost a thousand people were sheltering inside KNU-controlled territory.Myanmar’s security forces have killed at least 217 people in their crackdown against opposition...…By , MAE SOT, Thai-Myanmar border (Reuters) - Hundreds of people have fled Myanmar’s towns and cities since last month’s military coup and are sheltering in areas controlled by ethnic militias on the Thai border, an official from one of the groups said on Thursday, as Thailand prepared for a surge of refugees.Slideshow An official from the Karen National Union (KNU), which has been fighting the Myanmar army for decades, said almost a thousand people were sheltering inside KNU-controlled territory.Myanmar’s security forces have killed at least 217 people in their crackdown against opposition...WW…