THAI ARMY DENIES SUPPLYING RICE TO MYANMAR TROOPS

Thailand’s army has denied supplying rice to units of Myanmar’s armed forces and said on Saturday that any food being sent over the border was part of normal trade, Reuters reported.

Myanmar's military is facing international condemnation over a Feb. 1 coup and bloody crackdowns on protests against military rule in which nearly 250 people have been killed. Thailand has voiced concern over the bloodshed.

Thai media said the Myanmar army units being supplied near the border had been cut off by forces of the Karen National Union (KNU), an ethnic minority insurgent group that agreed to a ceasefire with the Myanmar government in 2012.

A KNU spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. The KNU has thrown its support behind Myanmar's democracy movement and condemned the military's coup and crackdown.

Direct Thai assistance to the Myanmar military would likely draw criticism from supporters of the ousted government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel peace laureate has been detained in Myanmar since the coup.

Thai media reported that the Thai army had supplied 700 sacks of rice to Myanmar army units on Myanmar's eastern border, citing an unidentified security official as saying it was on the orders of the Thai government.

"The Thai army is not supplying the Myanmar army and there has been no contact from the Myanmar army requesting help or demanding any assistance from us because they have their own honor,” Major General Amnat Srimak, commander of the Naresuan Force, said in a statement.

"If there is anything, I think there is regular commerce at normal border crossings," Amnat said. "We are not blocking this if the conduct is not against the law and follows customs procedures.”

WEEKLY FEATURE : BONNER DYTOC SHOWS THE WAY IN STOCK PLAY