RTA assures public heavy weapons can be mobilised in time if clashes occur again

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) on Monday allayed public concerns that it would be unable to redeploy heavy weapons, including tanks and artillery, in time to defend the border should Cambodia breach the peace accord.

Army ready to redeploy if peace violated

RTA spokesman Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree said the army would be able to move its heavy weapons back to the border swiftly if Cambodia were found to violate the weapon pullout agreement.

Many members of the public had expressed concern that the army might not be able to defend the frontier in time, as some tanks and heavy weaponry had been returned to barracks as far away as Lop Buri, well distant from the Thai–Cambodian border.

The RTA began withdrawing heavy weapons from the border on October 25, following the joint declaration signed by the prime ministers of both countries in Malaysia last month to resolve ongoing border disputes.

Mine clearance operations continue

Winthai added that the Thailand Mine Action Centre (TMAC) would continue clearing landmines along the border in accordance with the peace accord, even though Cambodian troops had yet to begin their own operations.

On Saturday (November 1), TMAC reported that it had received information from the Suranaree Force confirming that mine clearance at Sai Taku Pass in Buri Ram’s Ban Kruad district began on October 28.

According to TMAC, the mine-clearing operation—covering an area of 355,025 square metres—had been completed by 7.62%.

Border coordination issues arise

TMAC noted that Thai troops clearing mines on their side, based on boundary lines from Thailand’s 1:50,000 map, encountered Cambodian troops in the area.

The Thai soldiers held discussions with their Cambodian counterparts to prevent obstruction of the operation. Cambodian troops requested that Thai soldiers limit their clearance activities to areas based on old patrol tracks and refrain from erecting barbed wire fencing. They also informed the Thai side that they could not begin their own mine clearance yet, as no order had been issued by their higher command.

ASEAN observers monitor progress

TMAC confirmed that the ASEAN Observation Team on the Thai side had also witnessed the mine-clearing operation at Sai Taku Pass on Saturday.

The mine clearance is one of the key commitments under the peace accord. The Thai military has notified its Cambodian counterpart that it is ready to conduct mine clearance in 13 designated areas, but no corresponding action has been taken by Cambodia so far.