A group of German Buddhist monks of Burmese origin and are set to reach the Thai-Burma border town of Maesot on March 4 after walking from Bangkok to rally support for national reconciliation.

The monks and several political activists led by Reverend U Thawpaka set out from Bangkok on January 30.

“At the moment, I am about 10 kilometres away from Tak. There are seven marchers,” said Reverend Thawpaka.

Thai special police officers are reported to have offered protection to the group for the duration of their journey. But police in Maesot yesterday arrested ten Burmese nationals who were staging a hunger strike in a show of support for the monks, releasing them hours later.

“We believe that the demands and statements of the marchers who are walking more than 700 kilometres from Bangkok are the same as the desires of the (Burmese) people, and that’s why we staged the hunger strikes,” one of the participants, Thant Zin told DVB.

The monks and activists are expected to conduct a peaceful march towards the friendship bridge linking Thailand and Burma in Maesot the day after arriving in the border town.