Thais along Myanmar borders tell untold stories of suffering since Myanmar coup

Mae Hong Son, Thailand – The residents of the Mae Sariang district on the narrow valley along Salween river in the Mae Hong Son province, Thailand, which borders Myanmar, have been sharing their stories of horror and owe as a result of the Myanmar military coup that took place in February 2021.

A small river called the Salween separates the district from Myanmar and the fighting there.

It has been reported that the local communities along the borders have been affected by the fighting and as people reporting psychological health issues have skyrocketed.

Speaking to A24 News Agency, a woman who suffers from mental health issues explained the panic she experienced throughout her stay at the Thailand-Myanmar border.

“Since the disturbances took place along the Thailand-Myanmar border, I felt as if living in abnormal conditions. I have to keep alert and my eyes open 24 hours a day. I have to be careful while walking in the village or even sleeping in my own home. The previous time I heard the bomb sound, all of my family members and I had to go take a shelter in the underground bunker,” she said.

Villagers were shocked when they saw their properties and homes hit by bullets and some got accustomed to spending their days in shelters underground whenever they hear the sound of fighting nearing.

“At that time, I hid in the forest waiting for the fight to end. When I went back home and found my house wall pierced by bullets. I got off lucky in that incident; if the bullets were shot to the gasoline tank, which I put just next to the door, my house would have been burnt to the ground,” said one resident of Tha Ta Fung village.

Some villagers who belong to the Christian faith have found serenity and peace in the church, escaping from their reality and the uncertainty in which they live.

“Because we know that God will help us for sure. We believe in the Bible. Therefore, we build trust and confidence in our hearts. When we feel fear, we pray and read Bible to calm our mind,” said an elderly woman, church counselor.