The spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense of Thailand, Tanatip, revealed that during a recent inspection in Sa Kaeo Province, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Prawit listened to opinions from security departments, the military, police, and local administrative departments in Aranyaprathet District. He decided to consider constructing a 55-kilometer-long barbed wire wall along the natural channels bordering Cambodia at Poipet. This measure aims to strengthen border security in the area and prevent illegal entry.
Tanatip stated that this area is currently a weak link for illegal entries, making it difficult for security departments to maintain continuous surveillance. Therefore, building a barbed wire wall could effectively increase the convenience of border checks and, by installing surveillance equipment and alarm signal generators, ensure that the movement of people is effectively recorded, thereby enhancing border control capabilities.
In addition, Prawit also proposed the use of drones to assist in monitoring and operations.
However, Tanatip emphasized that this plan is still in the research stage, and the decision to build the barbed wire wall has not yet been finalized. The government will further study the feasibility of this measure, especially in selecting suitable locations, avoiding overlapping areas, and assessing its impact on the people of both countries.
If this measure is implemented, Thailand will join several countries worldwide that use barbed wire walls to strengthen border control, aiming to improve prevention against illegal entry and cross-border crime.
Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the Karen Border Guard (KNU), Saw Chi, sent a letter to the Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Prawit, announcing that from February 15th, they will start transferring a group of suspects and victims involved in telecommunications fraud and human trafficking to the Thai side. This move marks an active step by the Karen Border Guard in combating transnational crime.
The letter, published in both English and Burmese, is titled "Request for Cooperation in Combating Human Trafficking and Fraud." It is divided into three parts, first mentioning that the Karen Border Guard has identified and arrested suspects involved in human trafficking and telecommunications fraud within their jurisdiction, and is committed to repatriating the victims and trafficked foreign nationals to their home countries.
The second part of the letter indicates that the related transfer action will start on February 15th, through the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge II located in Myawaddy, expecting a large number of people to be handed over to the Thai side. The Karen Border Guard hopes to accelerate cooperation with the governments of Myanmar and Thailand to more effectively combat these transnational crimes.
In the last part of the letter, Saw Chi requests "guidance and assistance" from the Thai side to ensure the smooth progress of the operation. The letter is also cc'd to the Deputy Minister of the Prime Minister's Office of Thailand, Nipha Thonglek, further emphasizing the importance of cooperation.
This transfer action demonstrates the determination of the Myanmar Karen Border Guard in combating illegal cross-border crime, and lays the foundation for future cooperation between the two countries on such issues.
