The highway to Mae Sot across the Tenasserim hills
- Part 1 -

Puyam Rakesh Singh *

Map of proposed India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway :: Pix - TSE

The Trilateral Highway under construction will connect Moreh with Mae Sot in Thailand via Mandalay in Myanmar. It is a priority project to enhance connectivity with the neighbouring Southeast Asian countries. There is plan to extend the highway further to Vietnam in future. Another important project is the Kaladan multi-modal project will connect Mizoram with Sittwe Port on the western coast of Myanmar. This river-cum-road transport project is aimed at providing sea access to the landlocked Northeast Indian states.

However, transportation infrastructures in the Northeast India are not yet fully developed to get benefits of the Sittwe Port. Manipur's road connectivity with Mizoram is a good example. If the Kaladan Project has to facilitate greater connectivity of the region with the outside world, it should be linked with good road and railway transportation linkages across the region. Despite these limitations, the new roads, railway lines and broad gauge conversion across the region show the dynamics sweeping across this part of India.

The Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor and the India-Myanmar- Thailand Trilateral Highway are the major trans-national connectivity projects that will pass through Manipur. The opening of the Eastern Gate to Thailand is not necessarily unrelated to Thailand's 'Look West' policy of opening its Western Gate to India through Myanmar. Manipur's historical ties with Myanmar and Thailand make the endeavour more significant.

Opening the Trilateral Highway will be a historic event for the people of Manipur as it will allow a large number of Manipuri people to visit the 'kite tail' region of Myanmar. This region constitutes the Mon, Kayin (Karen) and Tanintharyi States/Region of Myanmar. In the 21st century, this region is a very important corridor of economic lifelines connecting Myanmar and Thailand. Many countries have expressed strong interests in developing economic corridors through the region. The proposed Dawei (Tavoy) deep sea port is one such project.

For the first time, the region saw presence of large number of Manipuri population during the Konbaung Dynasty period. King Alaungpaya of Burma (now Myanmar) took large number of captives from Manipur during the invasion in 1758 and they were used to invade Thailand (then Siam) in 1759. Thousands of Manipuri people were conscripted as cavalrymen for the 1759-60 war. These skillful horsemen armed with poisoned darts (arambai) served the interests of Burma against all odds.

The Burmese army led by Alaungpaya started its journey from Yangon (Rangoon) and marched on to Mottama (Martaban) through Bago (Pegu). Some of the forces coming from Yangon reached Mottama through land and water and attacked Dawei (Tavoy). The invading army including thousands of Manipuri cavalrymen forming the 'Cassay Horse' crushed the resistance put up by the Siamese troops. Then, the Burmese army defeated the Mons and Siamese in Dawei, Myeik (Mergui) and the whole Tenasserim coast was brought under their control.

They established control over the Tenasserim coast which constitutes present day Mon State, Kayin (Karen) State and Tanintharyi Region of Myanmar. Controlling the Mons and countering the Siamese support to the Mons and establishing supremacy in the lucrative trade centres of the Tenasserim coast were the major factors behind the 1759-60 war.

After controlling the coastal region, the Burmese forces crossed the Tenasserim Hills to the Gulf of Siam for attacking Ayutthaya, the capital of Siam Kingdom. Subsequently, they defeated the Siamese resistances in Kuiburi, Pranburi, Phetchaburi and Ratchaburi on their way to Ayutthaya. Crossing the Three Pagodas Pass was the shortest route to attack Ayutthaya but the Burmese forces took a longer route. Previously, the Burmese forces attacked Thailand through the Three Pagodas Pass and Chiang Mai. But they did not cross the heavily guarded border through the Three Pagodas Pass.

The series of defence line fell one after another with greater resistance put up to defend Ayutthaya causing loss of more lives on both sides. Crossing the Mae Klong River in Ratchaburi was not difficult but the invading army faced tougher resistances while crossing the Tha Chin (Suphan), Noi and Chao Phraya Rivers. The Battle of Suphanburi is noted as the bloodiest one before reaching Ayutthaya. The war came to an end with the sudden death of King Alaungpaya.

The formation of the 'Cassay Horse' by Alaungpaya in 1759 to invade Thailand (Siam Kingdom) was followed by greater deployment of the cavalry force to attack Thailand under the leadership of King Hsinbyushin. The Burmese-Siamese War of 1765-67 saw a pincer movement towards Ayutthaya with three major armies attacking the Siamese capital. History is witness to the role of the Manipuri prisoners who were conscripted by the Konbaung Dynasty rulers to attack Ayutthaya.

The northern army led by Ne Myo Thihapate took control of Chiang Mai, Laotian Kingdoms of Vientiane and Luang Prabang before heading towards Ayutthaya. Another army invaded through the well-known Three Pagodas Pass. The southern army attacked Siam through Tavoy, Mergui and Tenasserim. After a long siege, Ayutthaya was destroyed in April 1767. It was the second fall of Ayutthaya in the hands of the Burmese.

Why do we need to talk about these wars? The reasons are the cross-border trade and the attachments that Manipur has with Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. Crossing the Indo-Myanmar border to cross Myanmar-Thailand border for large scale people-to-people contact has not happened for quite long time. Though it is a new development, it will remind of the trails left behind by the ancients.

To be continued..