BANGKOK: Thailand’s Special Task Force (STF) has announced that it will hold a series of Regional Border Committee (RBC) meetings with Cambodia this month to discuss ongoing border issues, including mine clearance.
The move comes as an Asean delegation prepares to observe the border situation and a senior Thai official reveals that Cambodia's recent troop reinforcements are considered "within an acceptable range."
Speaking at Government House, Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, spokesperson for the Thailand-Cambodia STF, stated that the border situation has been stable despite ongoing monitoring of Cambodian forces strengthening their positions.
Rear Admiral Surasant also revealed that a team of Asean military attaches, led by the Malaysian military attache to Thailand, is scheduled to visit Ubon Ratchathani province and the 2nd Army Region area on Thursday (Aug 14).
The purpose of their visit is to observe the situation and assess the impact on local communities. They will present their findings the following day and discuss future plans.
A key point of concern for the Thai government is the presence of a large number of landmines along the border. Rear Admiral Surasant expressed frustration over the lack of cooperation from Cambodia on mine clearance efforts.
To address this, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now engaging with the Asean Regional Mine Action Center (Armac), whose director is Cambodian, to urge a more sincere commitment to the mission.
"Landmines are a threat not just to military personnel but also to civilians in both countries," he stressed.
He further claimed that Cambodian soldiers continue to lay mines in the area.
Thailand hopes to see Armac collaborate with the National Mine Action Centre (TMAC) to clear as many mines as possible and restore safety to the affected zones.
The army is reportedly adjusting its patrol strategies and exploring new technologies to better detect the explosives, giving reassurance to the public.
The first of the upcoming RBC meetings is scheduled for Friday (Aug 15), in Trat province, and will be hosted by the Chanthaburi and Trat Border Command.
Further meetings with the 1st and 2nd Army Regions are planned for later in the month, with mine clearance high on the agenda for discussions. - The Nation/ANN
