This week’s exodus of thousands of people fleeing for their lives from Myanmar’s Karen State into Thailand’s Mae Sot district in Tak was not unexpected.
Prior to this, several agencies including those in Thai security, community leaders along the border, and military leaders of the Karen National Union (KNU) shared the opinion that this dry season — the end of November to late April — will see a fierce offensive from the Myanmar junta army aimed at suppressing armed ethnic organisations, particularly the KNU.
Since early this year, the Myanmar army has carried out airstrikes on KNU territory causing tens of…
