Customer Reviews

The Long Patrol with Karen Guerillas in Burma

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This book was recommended to me by a friend who had served in Burma with the Karens.
It's a very thin book, only 108 pages, though there are 54 color photos.
One with Mike Tucker in his snazzy beret.
The author is no Rambo, but he did manage to keep up with the Karen guerrillas as they trekked through the jungles and mountains. That was no mean feat, considering that he admits he was out of shape.

He tried to tell their story, but in the end it was as if he was telling a story about his own trials and tribulations in the restaurants of Bangkok.

One good point the author makes is that the KNU is completely riddled with SPDC agents. They're actually all over Mae Sot and Chiang Mai, keeping an eye on Karen refugees, NGO's and the occasional western adventurer.
Like the author, I, too, heard the story about the SAS assisting the Karens, but I discount it. Instead, what I think it was were some British nationals passing themselves off as SAS in order to impress the guerrillas.
As for the French, they were strictly mercenaries and adventurers, some of them having come from the fighting in Croatia. I believe that two of them died.

I think that Mike Tucker could have written a much better book if he had put his mind to it. Towards the end of the book, I was left with the feeling that he was just rushing through it to get it finished and off to the publisher.

Note to Mike Tucker: next time, forget about the ridiculous passwords and alias'. Anyone who's been there pretty much knows who you're referring to. And Guesthouse #4 is the place to stay.