BANGKOK, Thailand – Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang, Commander of Thailand’s Second Army Region, revealed on September 22 that Cambodia has shown no intention of withdrawing heavy weapons along the border and has instead increased troop deployments. He warned that Thailand will end talks if provocations persist, citing ongoing drone flights and the planting of anti-personnel mines in Thai territory.
The update follows the September 10 meeting of the Thailand-Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC), which called for the removal of heavy arms and high-destruction equipment from the border. Secretariats from both sides were scheduled to meet within three weeks to develop an implementation plan with observers (IOT) monitoring the process.
Lt. Gen. Boonsin acknowledged Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul for authorizing the military to make decisions regarding border checkpoints and fencing to address the situation.
Meanwhile, the First Army Region, under Lt. Gen. Amarit Boonsuya, plans a special RBC meeting from September 24–26 in Poipet, Cambodia, to discuss mine-clearing operations and organizing border areas in Sa Kaeo province. The Chanthaburi-Trat Border Defense Command postponed its RBC session due to temporary border relaxations, with local areas tasked to survey and submit plans by the end of October. (TNA)
