PENANG, Malaysia – Fourth Army Area Commander Lt. Gen. Norathip Poinok and Lt. Gen. Dato’ Khairul Azmizal bin Ahmad Natal of the Malaysian Army co-chaired the 118th Thailand–Malaysia Regional Border Committee meeting in Penang, with senior officials and delegations from both countries in attendance. The meeting provided both sides an opportunity to review bilateral coordination on border security, peace, and regional stability, with attention given to existing cooperation mechanisms and ways to improve coordination along the shared border.
Talks covered joint efforts to address transnational crime, including smuggling, drug trafficking, and human trafficking, through coordinated patrols and operations. Delegations also reviewed intelligence-sharing practices and ongoing measures to manage security challenges in border areas. In addition to security matters, both sides addressed development in border communities, including economic conditions, social issues, environmental management, and disaster response coordination. Officials agreed to continue cooperation, with the next Regional Border Committee meeting scheduled for September 2026 in Thailand. (NNT)
