- Photo: The Nation/ANN
BANGKOK: Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has acknowledged reports of border unrest but clarified the situation has been resolved, stating there was no ongoing gunfire. He emphasised that frontline commanders had the authority to negotiate.
He also warned against frequent incidents, and stressed it was not related to election campaigning. Anutin also reaffirmed the strength of the Thai military.
At 1pm on Saturday (Jan 31), Anutin, who also serves as the Minister of Interior, addressed the media regarding the incident where Cambodian soldiers fired M79 grenades towards Thailand’s border.
He confirmed that he had received the report and stated that the situation was consistent with the information previously released by the military.
According to the Army Chief of Staff’s report, which was shared earlier today, there was no cause for concern.
The light seen at the border was simply from the fairway lighting that we had placed along the patrol routes.
He humorously remarked, “There’s plenty of space to walk, but they chose to walk here.”
The Prime Minister confirmed there was no continuous gunfire, and according to the ceasefire agreement, if such incidents occur, the frontline commanders from both sides are expected to work together to resolve the issue.
Once they reach an agreement, the issue is considered settled, but he emphasized it should not happen frequently. He assured that local personnel had already come to an understanding and that it did not need to escalate further.
When asked if he was concerned that the incident might be linked to the speech by the Bhumjaithai Party regarding border issues, the Prime Minister replied, “I’m not concerned, and it’s unrelated.”
He ended the discussion by affirming, “Our military is strong.” - The Nation/ANN
