Border fence not a new concept: Thailand-Malaysia jointly construct 110 km
The concept of a border fence is not new for demarcating territorial boundaries between two countries. Thailand already shares a "border fence" with its neighbour Malaysia.
According to Nation TV, the Thailand-Malaysia border spans approximately 647 kilometres, with 56 kilometres in Satun, 150 kilometres in Songkhla, 267 kilometres in Yala, and 174 kilometres in Narathiwat.
There are two types of border fences along the Thailand-Malaysia border:
Type 1:
A jointly constructed fence between the Thai and Malaysian governments, located in Padang Besar, Sadao district, Songkhla province. This is a 3-metre-high reinforced concrete wall with barbed wire, stretching 5.3 kilometres.
Type 2:
A fence constructed solely by the Malaysian government within Malaysian territory. This includes 9 segments, totalling more than 105 kilometres, with a mix of concrete walls, reinforced concrete with barbed wire, barbed wire, and netting fences.
These are spread across several areas in Satun, Songkhla, and Betong district, Yala province. The total length of these 10 segments amounts to 110.992 kilometres.
Mixed fence: “Dam-net-electronic” system in one district costing 600 million baht
As for the budget, the most recent project example is the “enhanced border control efficiency project,” initiated in 2021. This includes activities to reinforce the Thailand-Malaysia border fence and construction of embankments to prevent erosion, proposed by the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC).
- Embankment construction along the Su-ngai Kolok River, in Tak Bai district, Narathiwat province, covering 7.5 kilometres, with a budget of 467 million baht.
- Construction of a 2-metre-high metal mesh fence along the border, spanning 15 kilometres, with a budget of 114.6 million baht.
- Construction of an electronic security fence along the border, stretching 6 kilometres, with a budget of 52.7 million baht in communities in Tak Bai district.
- Building 3 operational bases for border patrol teams at Ban Talaeng, Ko Sathon, and Ban Ta Se, Tak Bai District, with a budget of 6 million baht.
- Budget allocation for public relations and awareness with a budget of 2.3 million baht.
The total preliminary budget for this project is approximately 642.8 million baht. Whether it is worth the investment remains a question for the people of Thailand to decide.
