Ultranationalist Burmese monk meets with Thai figure known for bashing Myanmar migrants

A Buddhist monk notorious for recruiting and commanding Pyu Saw Htee “people’s militias” in Myanmar appeared publicly this week with a Thai man known for inflammatory rhetoric against Myanmar citizens in Thailand. Pauk Ko Taw, who was ordained with the monastic name Ariyawuntha, is a prominent leader of the Pyu Saw Htee, militias armed and trained by the military who participate in the junta forces’ unprovoked, indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations in Myanmar. On a visit to Thailand in early September, Pauk Ko Taw met with Toon Ratchapakdi, a Thai citizen who has gained notoriety on platforms like Tik Tok for disparaging rhetoric against Myanmar nationals in Thailand, including undocumented labourers he accuses of competing with Thai people for jobs. A video of the meeting was posted on social media on Monday. Thailand is home to a large community of Myanmar people who have fled their home country to escape conflict and authoritarian persecution. Since the military began conscripting young civilians last year, more have fled to avoid mandatory military service. Before visiting the country, Pauk Ko Taw was involved in arguments on the social media platform Tik Tok with Myanmar nationals who had relocated to Thailand. Shortly afterwards, he posted video clips on the messaging app Telegram resolving to cooperate with ultranationalist Thais seeking to send Myanmar nationals back to their home country. On Monday, Pauk Ko Taw met and spoke on video with Toon, expressing support for his views and online activities. Toon told Pauk Ko Taw that some Myanmar people were simply coming back to Thailand after being arrested by Thai authorities and returned to Myanmar. In response, Pauk Ko Taw said he would push the responsible authorities at home to take more effective action to prevent this. Toon is one of an unknown number of online Thai nationalists who advocate removing Myanmar migrants from the country, arguing that they deprive Thai people of employment and educational opportunities. The same figures have also disparaged activists for organising anti-coup demonstrations in Thailand. Ven. Min Thonnya, a Buddhist abbot opposed to military dictatorship in Myanmar, denounced what Pauk Ko Taw said in his meeting with Toon, saying such rhetoric would likely cause hardship for fellow Myanmar nationals. “The bald Pauk's visit abroad happened not just because he couldn’t cause enough suffering at home, but because he had the deliberate intent to cause more hardship and engender more threats to Myanmar citizens living in Thailand—people working to support the homeland,” the abbot said. “Labelling those who support the homeland as ‘terrorists’ and working hand in hand with Thai authorities to increase persecution and deportations is absolutely not a good sign,” he added. The abbot went on to argue that, as a leader of armed militias destroying civilian lives and property, Pauk Ko Taw was no longer qualified to be a monk and should not be recognised as such by Buddhist clergy or laypeople in Thailand. Pauk Ko Taw, who is in his 40s, is part of a latter generation of military-aligned, ultranationalist Buddhist monks in Myanmar. The first generation emerged in Myanmar during the presidential administration of Thein Sein, which succeeded the Than Shwe regime and ended in 2016. When it first rose to prominence, the ultranationalist monks’ movement was known as Ma Ba Tha, an abbreviation standing for “Myanmar Patriotic Association”. It became notorious for inciting hatred against Myanmar’s religious minorities—especially Muslims—and opposing to the civilian administration of the National League of Democracy party. At the time of the 2021, prominent Ma Ba Tha leaders such as ultranationalist monk U Wirathu were imprisoned, allowing Pauk Ko Taw and others of his generation to assume leadership of the ultranationalist movements supporting the junta.

Ultranationalist Burmese monk meets with Thai figure known for bashing Myanmar migrants

Pauk Ko Taw, a junta-supporting monk who has led military-sponsored militias implicated in atrocities against civilians, spoke on video with a social media influencer who advocates deportations of Myanmar nationals from Thailand

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