- Title: THAILAND: ARMED MEN STORM INTO THE MYANMAR EMBASSY IN BANGKOK
- Date: 1st October 1999
- Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (OCTOBER 1, 1999) (REUTERS) 1. PAN OF STREET SCENE NEAR EMBASSY 0.11 2. SV MYANMAR EMBASSY SIGN 0.17 3. SLV/SV ARMED POLIC OUTSIDE EMBASSY (6 SHOTS) 1.05 4. CU SUSPECT BEING HANDCUFFED TO VEHICLE 1.10 7. SV POLICE OFFICER RUNNING/PUTTING ON BULLETPROOF VEST (2 SHOTS) 1.21 8. CU/SV FENCE (2 SHOTS) 1.28 9. SV POLICE PUTTING UP TAPE TO BARRICADE AREA (3 SHOTS) 1.44 10. SLV/SV POLICE CAR (2 SHOTS) 1.57 11. SV FLAG FLUTTERING AT HALF MAST 2.11 12. SV POLICE BARRICADING ROAD 2.20 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 16th October 1999 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
- Country: Thailand
- Reuters ID: LVA8X8HYTXTMNE7GFUVYHXR3AKKR
- Story Text: About 12 armed men have stormed into the Myanmar
embassy in Bangkok, holding the ambassador, diplomats and
their family members in the building.
Security was tight around the Myanmar embassy in
Bangkok on Friday (October 1) as Thai police engaged in a
tense standoff with a group of armed men who had stormed the
building and held those inside hostage.
Thai anti-terrorists units have taken up positions at
the scene, and a Thai policeman released by the gunmen said
about 20 people were held by the attackers, who were armed
with AK47s.
Witnesses said several gunshots could be heard from the
compound.It was unclear if anyone was wounded.
Police arrested a suspect, but it was unclear if he was
involved in the siege.
The attackers fired at least 10 gunshots to provide
cover as they replaced the Myanmar flag on the compound with
another bearing a red background with a yellow bird imprinted
on it.
It appeared to be the fighting peacock flag of Myanmar's
democratic opposition.
Thai police barricaded the street leading to the
embassy, and said a negotiator was being brought in from a
Myanmar dissidents holding centre to talk to the gunmen,
believed to be Myanmar student dissidents.
The main group of Myanmar students in exile has said his
group is not responsible in any way for the attack.
Many disaffected student dissidents fled Myanmar to
Thailand after the military in their country killed thousands
to crush a pro-democracy uprising in 1988.
Some of the students teamed up with ethnic guerrilla
groups based on the Myanmar border which have fought for
decades against the Yangon government.
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