‘We wanted to scare them’: the brothers who fought back against Myanmar’s army

Three months after the coup, four brothers tell how they joined protesters fighting the junta before fleeing for the border

The young men only had a moment to study the river before rushing into the waist-deep water. The brothers - ranging in age from 15 to 21 - were unfamiliar with the border area and afraid of being seen. On the run from Myanmar's military, they pushed on into the Thaunggin River.

After just a few minutes of wading, they stumbled into no man's land. Moments after crossing the river, three smugglers dressed in military fatigues met them. After handing over 6,000 Thai baht (US$200) and exchanging a few words, the smugglers led them deeper into the woods and then to safety in Thailand.