The Burma Army has tightened security at the Three Pagodas Pass border town after the bomb blast on June 28, town residents say.

After two grenades exploded, Infantry Battalion No. 32 Commander Lt. Col Khin Zaw called cease-fire groups and ordered them to paint their arms to differentiate among the cease-fire groups of
the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), Karen Peace Force (KPF) and New Mon State Party (NMSP).

A KPF officer, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said it is unfair to make such order,
and that the cease-fire group cannot follow the order.

Meanwhile, the Burma Army ordered motorbike owners to mark their vehicles and called villagers
to take over security of the town with local militia (Pyithusit).  40 villagers from 4 Ward are forced
to guard along with the local militia each night. 

“The city is on alert and they have ordered 10 people from each Ward (Bloc) to patrol at night.  They told us to watch for any strangers and suspicious activities," said a villager from the Thai-Burma border town. 

On May 29, while visiting Mawlamyine to transform the ethnic cease-fire group into a Border Guard Force, Lieutenant General Ye Myint witnessed multiple bomb blasts.

No group has claimed responsibility and some political observers said it could have been the Burma Army because the type of grenade used in the blast is only used by the Burma Army.