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Bangkok Post
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Thai defence chief suggests ways to ease border tensions with Cambodia
Chief of Defence Forces Gen Songwit Noonpakdee has urged Cambodia to coordinate border operation hours and withdraw long-range weapons to facilitate cross border trade and ease tensions between the two countries. He has called for a reduction in military presence along the Thai-Cambodian border and proposed the withdrawal of long-range weaponry to levels consistent with those in 2024. He reiterated that Thailand has never closed its border checkpoints, but merely r egulated their operating hours. He further suggested that both countries should synchronise their checkpoint opening times to facilitate cross-border trade and ease the movement of people. Genl Songwit said that last Friday, Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, commander of the 2nd Army Region, informed him that military-level dialogue and cooperation had significantly increased. This includes joint border patrols being conducted three times a week, a development that Thailand supports. He said Thailand's position remains steadfast on the following principles: preservation of national sovereignty, which has been consistently upheld in accordance with Thailand's operational maps, and continued bilateral dialogue through established mechanisms including the Regional Border Committee (RBC), the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), and the General Border Committee (GBC). The desired outcome of these discussions, General Songwit said, is to de-escalate military confrontations along the border. In particular, he called for a return to pre-existing force levels and the removal of long-range weapons, emphasising that military presence should be proportionate and limited to ensure the safety of civilians in both countries. He also expressed a desire to see greater facilitation of cross-border trade and movement, confirming that Thailand has not closed any checkpoints. He clarified that Thailand currently operates its border crossings from 8am to 4pm, whereas Cambodia has opted to close many of its border points. As such, he proposed that both nations agree to standardised checkpoint operating hours—from 8am to 6pm—to allow smoother traffic and mobility across the border. Scam networks Gen Songwit also addressed the issue of transnational scam networks, saying that a recent tripartite meeting was held in Myanmar, involving representatives from Thailand, China, and Myanmar. The meeting concluded with a consensus to continue operations to dismantle call centre scam syndicates, as significant numbers of individuals remain involved in these criminal enterprises. To date, over 8,000 individuals have been repatriated, yet estimates suggest the original target number may be as high as 50,000. In the area opposite Mae Sot District in Myawaddy, Myanmar, Chinese authorities estimate that approximately 50,000 people are to be processed and returned. Several business operators in Myanmar connected to these scam networks have already been forced to cease operations under local legal orders. Some of these operators also face international arrest warrants. As Myanmar continues to face increased pressure through disruptions to electricity, internet, and fuel supplies, scam operations have started relocating, particularly towards the eastern regions. Thailand's Task Force 88 has consequently intensified its operations in those areas. Arrest warrants have already been issued, and cooperation has been sought from both domestic and international authorities, including neighbouring countries. Thailand plans to establish a multinational special task force this month to directly address the issue of scam syndicates. Task Force 88 will be responsible for providing further operational details.
The Star
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
China and Thailand boost strategic ties with new military cooperation plans
Senior military officials from China and Thailand reached an 'important consensus' on strategic cooperation when they met on Thursday, according to the defence ministry in Beijing. The meeting was held between China's chief of joint staff, Liu Zhenli, and Thailand's top defence official, Songwit Noonpackdee, during his visit to the Chinese capital. The two military leaders 'reached an important consensus on strengthening strategic communication and deepening cooperation in joint exercises and training', according to a statement on Thursday. They also 'exchanged views on issues of common concern, such as relations between the two countries and their militaries and the international and regional situation'. Liu is a member of the Central Military Commission, the highest decision-making body of the People's Liberation Army. In a separate meeting with Songwit, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun said ties between the two countries had endured 'the change of winds and clouds'. Songwit replied that the Thai side was willing to closely coordinate with China in multilateral affairs and 'jointly safeguard' the security and stability of the region, according to the Chinese defence ministry. The high-level meetings followed a series of diplomatic activities between China and the Southeast Asian country, which is also a traditional US ally in the region. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his Thai counterpart last month and said Thailand was a high priority for Chinese diplomacy in the region. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra also met in February. The two countries have also deepened defence cooperation in the past decade, especially since the 2014 military coup in Thailand, with China replacing the US to become Thailand's top arms supplier. Their joint exercises have appeared to include more comprehensive combat elements since last year, as highlighted by their joint air drill, 'Falcon Strike 2024'. Most recently, the navies of the two countries concluded an exercise last month that focused on counterterrorism tactics and anti-submarine warfare. While joint exercises and arms sales between the US and Thailand have been scaled back, Washington has ramped up its strategic and defence dialogue with Bangkok in the past few years as Beijing's influence has expanded in the region. Thailand has imported a range of weapon systems from China, from armoured vehicles to air-defence systems. The two countries signed a deal in 2017 for Thailand to buy the first of three Yuan-class submarines from China for 13.5 billion baht (US$412 million). Bangkok has paid an instalment of 7 billion baht, but production has been stalled since 2022 due to China's inability to acquire a German engine because of Berlin's defence export limits. According to news site Khaosod English, Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said on Tuesday that he would decide by the end of this month whether to accept the submarine with Chinese engines or cancel the contract and lose '80 per cent of the costs of the submarines which has already been paid'. Citing Wechayachai, the Thai news site also reported that the Thai government had been asked several times by the Chinese ambassador to Bangkok about when it would proceed with the remaining payment for the purchase of the Chinese-made submarines. Bangkok had previously asked Berlin to reconsider the embargo of its submarine engine, but Germany has rejected the request.
