Hijackers Force Jet Down in Thailand

At least two Myanmar students demanding an end to their country’s harsh military rule hijacked a jetliner with 85 people aboard today and threatened to blow it up after their demands were rejected.

The Fokker 28 was on a flight from Mergui, Myanmar (formerly Burma, whose name was changed in June), to the country’s capital of Yangin (formerly Rangoon) when it was commandeered to Thailand. It landed at a military airfield in Utaphao, about 80 miles southeast of Bangkok.

A Thai navy spokesman, Lt. Somchai Kaewvibunphan, said the hijackers released 35 of the 85 hostages but threatened to destroy the jet after the Myanmar ambassador to Thailand refused to meet their wide-ranging demands.

The deadline set by the hijackers passed without incident, and both Thai and Myanmar diplomats were negotiating with them.

Thailand’s Channel 7 television reported the hijackers later stopped issuing deadlines and said they were willing to give themselves up to Thai authorities if their demands were met.

It quoted some of the released hostages as saying they saw wires hanging from the plane’s overhead baggage racks, leading to speculation the aircraft was rigged with explosives.

A special, U.S.-trained, anti-hijacking unit was reported by Somchai to be moving closer to the aircraft.

The threat to destroy the jet came after Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Tienchai Sirisunpan talked with the hijackers three times and then relayed their demands to Myanmar Ambassador Nyunt Swe. He refused to meet the demands.

One of the hijackers, a male, appeared in the doorway of the aircraft holding a hand grenade in his upraised fist, Somchai said.

The hijackers reportedly handed Thai authorities a list of seven demands, including the release of top opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, an end to the curfew imposed by Myanmar’s military government and restoration of democracy in Myanmar.