MAE SAM LAEP, Thailand (AP) — Thailand’s prime minister is denying that his country’s security forces forced villagers back to Myanmar who had fled from military airstrikes, saying they returned home on their own accord. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, nevertheless, says his country is ready to shelter anyone who is escaping fighting, as it has done many times for decades. His comments came a day after humanitarian groups said Thailand has been sending back some of the thousands of people who have fled a series of Myanmar military airstrikes. The weekend strikes were another escalation in the violent crackdown by Myanmar’s junta on protests against its Feb. 1 takeover. Protests continued Tuesday despite the deaths of more than 100 people on Saturday alone.
Thailand denies forcing fleeing villagers back to Myanmar
