Myanmar, Thailand to hold joint New Year celebrations as usual

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, THAILAND, December 28 (TNA) - As previous years, cross-border New Year celebrations between Myanmar and Thai people are expected to be lively, with throngs of celebrants from both sides to exchange visits during the upcoming New Year Festival. This year, Thailand's Prachuap Khiri Khan Province will organise the cross-border New Year Festival from December 31, 2015 to January 1, 2016, in which crowds of people from both sides are expected to join. Police Colonel Katathorn Khamthiang, chief of immigration police in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, told journalists on December 27 that Myanmar's Myeik City and Thailand's Prachuap Khiri Khan Province have become sisters' cities and have continually organised activities to strengthen bilateral relations, including New Year celebrating events, making local people of both sides become close and have sound understanding with each other. Police Colonel Katathorn stressed that the situation along the common border at the Singkhon Border Pass in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Klong Wan District remains normal, after the Samui provincial court sentenced two Myanmar migrant workers to death on December 24 for murdering two British tourists in September 2014. Police Colonel Katathorn said local business operators have clarified the case with their Myanmar migrant workers. According to the provincial immigration police chief, cross-border visits between people of both sides at the Singkhon Border Pass for businesses and travels have been usual without any demonstration of Myanmar protesters or other incidents. (TNA)