Burapha Task Force chief inspects Ban Nong Chan, affirms readiness to defend border
Burapha Task Force chief inspects Ban Nong Chan in Sa Kaeo, affirming Thailand's readiness to defend the border and address encroachment issue.
The chief of the Burapha Task Force visited Ban Nong Chan village in Sa Kaeo, accompanied by the provincial governor and the provincial police chief, to inspect road construction and show moral support to the troops while vowing readiness to defend the border.
Maj Gen Benjapol Dechatiwong na Ayutthaya, commander of the Burapha Task Force, visited Ban Nong Chan with Sa Kaeo Governor Parinya Photisat and Pol Maj Gen Thavorn Dulayawit, Sa Kaeo’s police chief, to inspect the readiness of soldiers, police, and civilian defense volunteers to protect the border in Sa Kaeo’s Khok Sung district.
They visited the military-police-civilian checkpoint at Ban Nong Chan, where they were briefed on the progress of road construction to link communities along the border and the reinforcement of bunkers at the site.
Benjapol stated that the main purpose of his visit was to check the paving of the road, with some 900 tonnes of gravel being laid by troops from the Armed Forces Development Command.
He assured the public that Thai authorities were fully prepared to enforce the law and use military operations to defend the border.
Benjapol also called on the media to be cautious when reporting on the situation, as reports could inadvertently leak military secrets to the other side.
He reiterated that the Thai military had plans in place to deal with any violent situations and was fully prepared to enforce the law.
The Sa Kaeo governor, Parinya, told reporters that he would wait for the results of the next General Border Committee (GBC) meeting before taking action to evict Cambodian encroachers from Ban Nong Chan on October 10.
Earlier, Governor Parinya had issued an ultimatum for Cambodian encroachers to leave Ban Nong Chan by October 10 or face legal action.
Parinya added that if Cambodia failed to submit an evacuation plan by the deadline, he would not engage in further talks with his Cambodian counterpart and would wait for the issue to be addressed at the GBC meeting.
The governor also stated that Thai authorities would not use force to evict Cambodian encroachers, as it could lead to criticism from the international community.
