Mong Tong Township
Encyclopedia
Mong Ton Township or Mong Tong Township is a township
of Mongsat District in the Shan State
of Myanmar
. The principal town is Mong Ton
. It borders Mong Ping Township
to the north, Mong Hsat Township
to the east, Mong Nai Township
and Mong Pan Township
to the west and Thailand
to the south.
Given its location near the border with Thailand and internal conflict, the Burmese army has the important IB277 military base just outside of the main town. There are five Burmese army battalions in Mong Ton town alone. Trafficking of narcotics is a major problem in Mong Ton and Burma is the number two opium producer in the world after Afghanistan
, and one of the leading producers of amphetamines in South East Asia. The Free Burma Rangers
have alleged that the army is involved in the production and trafficking of narcotics in order to profit from the trade in opium, heroin and amphetamines. Opium is cultivated and it is not only processed for trade abroad it is also consumed by some local villagers and has created drug addiction problems.
Mong Ton has had a turbulent and unstable history, with conflicts between the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S) and the Burmese Army, although the problem is worse in the Kehsi, MongKung, and Laikha Townships. In Mong Ton and Mong Hsat Township
, the SPDC has demanded the removal of some UWSA military outposts and the Burmese Army is exerting more pressure on Lahu militias to conscript more soldiers and prepare to fight both the SSA–S and the UWSA. The SPDC supported three basic military training courses for the Lahu militia in Mong Ton during 2009.
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
of Mongsat District in the Shan State
Shan State
Shan State is a state of Burma . Shan State borders China to the north, Laos to the east, and Thailand to the south, and five administrative divisions of Burma in the west. Largest of the 14 administrative divisions by land area, Shan State covers 155,800 km², almost a quarter of the total...
of Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. The principal town is Mong Ton
Mong Ton
Mong Ton is a town and seat of Mong Tong Township in Mong Hsat District, Shan State in eastern Myanmar near the border with Thailand. It is served by Mong Ton Airport...
. It borders Mong Ping Township
Mong Ping Township
Mong Ping Township is a township of Monghsat District in the Shan State of Myanmar. The principal town is Mong Ping....
to the north, Mong Hsat Township
Mong Hsat Township
Mong Hsat Township is a township of Mong Hsat District in the Shan State of Myanmar. The principal town is Mong Hsat....
to the east, Mong Nai Township
Mong Nai Township
Mong Nai Township is a township of Loilen District in the Shan State of Myanmar. The principal town is Mong Nai.The Salween River bounds it on the east. The main area consists of two plains with a ridge between them. There is much flat rice bottom, but a considerable portion consists of gently...
and Mong Pan Township
Mong Pan Township
Mong Pan Township is a township of Loilen District in the Shan State of Myanmar. The principal town is Mong Pan.To the south it borders Mae Hong Son Province in Thailand and lies west of the Salween River....
to the west and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
to the south.
Given its location near the border with Thailand and internal conflict, the Burmese army has the important IB277 military base just outside of the main town. There are five Burmese army battalions in Mong Ton town alone. Trafficking of narcotics is a major problem in Mong Ton and Burma is the number two opium producer in the world after Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, and one of the leading producers of amphetamines in South East Asia. The Free Burma Rangers
Free Burma Rangers
The Free Burma Rangers are a mainly Christian pro-active, pro-democracy humanitarian group who work throughout Burma but concentrate primarily on the heavily forested border region, delivering emergency medical assistance to sick and injured internally displaced people, or IDP's; a consequence of...
have alleged that the army is involved in the production and trafficking of narcotics in order to profit from the trade in opium, heroin and amphetamines. Opium is cultivated and it is not only processed for trade abroad it is also consumed by some local villagers and has created drug addiction problems.
Mong Ton has had a turbulent and unstable history, with conflicts between the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S) and the Burmese Army, although the problem is worse in the Kehsi, MongKung, and Laikha Townships. In Mong Ton and Mong Hsat Township
Mong Hsat Township
Mong Hsat Township is a township of Mong Hsat District in the Shan State of Myanmar. The principal town is Mong Hsat....
, the SPDC has demanded the removal of some UWSA military outposts and the Burmese Army is exerting more pressure on Lahu militias to conscript more soldiers and prepare to fight both the SSA–S and the UWSA. The SPDC supported three basic military training courses for the Lahu militia in Mong Ton during 2009.