Officials push bid to help nine Thais in Myanmar prison

BANGKOK, September 23 (TNA) - Thai officials are seeking the release of nine Thai detainees remaining in Myanmar after pardon was given to 83 of them to return home. Colonel Pornsak Poonsawas, head of the Thai-Myanmar Township Border Committee in Ranong-Koh Song, says talks between the Thai and Myanmar side is now in progress. The official says he hopes seven out of the nine detainees will be granted release first as each of them has been given a seven-year jail term on charges of possessing guns. The two others -- a man and a woman -- are in jail and received additional charges of drug trafficking. Ninety-two Thai nationals were arrested and jailed by Myanmar soldiers since July 4. They were initially charged for illegally encroaching Myanmar territory with their rubber farms covering an area of up to 20 square kilometres. (TNA)