Poppy Farmers Pay Tax To the Wa

Poppy Farmers Pay Tax To the Wa

Poppy farmers across the border from Chiangmai are being taxed by several armed groups including the United Wa State Army, said a villager who recently visited Thailand.

The visitor, who admitted to being a poppy farmer, said they are now paying tax not only to the Burmese authorities but also to the Lahu militia unit of Tin Win and 171th Division of the UWSA in Mongton Township, opposite Wianghaeng and Chiangdao districts in Thailand.

"With the Burmese, we also have to buy meat and vegetables for them", he said. IB 225 from Mongton is currently stationed in PangMaisoong, once the stronghold of the Shan resistance, opposite the village of Piangluang in Wianghaeng District.

The farmers were required to pay 0.30 viss (1 viss = 1.6 kilogram) per acre to the junta troops and each family was expected to work at least 3 acres, according to reports received by S.H.A.N. (Poppy Acreage to be increased under Junta direction, 18 June)

There are at least 200 households in the vicinity of Mongkyawt, a position taken by the UWSA since mid-June:

"Most farmers of the last two locations are from Thailand", he said. "They are not allowed to grow poppies there, so they come here." However, he refused to name who they were, except that these farmers' expenses were underwritten by Chinese "bosses" (pawliang).