Latest reports from the Thai-Burma border say all junta personnel from every department in Shan State East’s Mongton and Monghsat townships where the United Wa State Army (UWSA)’s 171st  Military Region is based, opposite Thailand’s Chiangmai, were informed by the regional commander to pack all their materials to be ready for evacuation from Sunday onward.The message was passed in a circular letter from the Military Operations Command (MOC) #14 based in Monghsat on Sunday, 5 September. The letter was said to have come from Kengtung Headquarters, according to a civil servant from education department in Mongton.

The letter said, “Due to the UWSA’s defiance to Naypyitaw, top ranking officials thereby has made directive to all junta personnel to prepare and pack all of their important materials to be ready 24 hours in order to be able to evacuate because the army cannot predict how much and how long the tensions will go on.”

“Everyone therefore must be ready and comply with the order when it is received,” she said. “But we were told not to inform local residents about the preparations.”

“Rumors being talked among our government say that the Wa will be wiped out whenever the junta wants,” the source said.

Reports of the Wa fighters’ preparations for war were also received. All 5 brigades under the 171st military region were called to gather at their main base Hwe Aw since 1 September and were given intensive military training. Another training called ‘mocked evacuation’ started this morning, according to a source from Nakawngmu, who has close relationship with the Wa.

“We are always told to be ready but not to panic,” a southern Wa fighter told SHAN.

Likewise, Thai authorities along the border with the Wa region have also been conducting mocked evacuation exercises for local villagers for about two weeks, said a villager from Chiangmai’s Wianghaeng District.

The UWSA’s 171st Military Region comprises five brigades, spreading along the Mongton and Monghsat townships in eastern Shan State, opposite to Maehongson, Chiangmai and Chiangrai of Thailand.

“Burma Army trucks are passing through our village [Nakawngmu] every day. There was one in the morning along with soldiers. Their uniforms were dirty with mud. One passed on 6 September and 3 on 5 September,” said a local resident of Nakawngmu.

Since the junta’s latest deadline, 1 September, military tensions between the Burma Army and ceasefire groups escalated in several areas on the Thai-Burma border and Sino-Burma border as ceasefire groups’ defiance was maintained. Currently, military troops have been in positions in areas facing the Shan State Army (SSA) ‘North’, UWSA and National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) on the Sino-Burma border as well.

But according to Chinese security officials based along the border with Wa and NDAA, the military junta would not launch major operations in Panghsang and Mongla before the elections are over.

“But if there is an opportunity to take some bases by quick action, they [military junta] may first attack the SSA ‘North’ and some areas along the Thai-Burma border.”