Bangkok: Eight nations have sent representatives to Thailand for a three-day mission to assess landmine risks and ceasefire violations in the border regions. The Thai Army has organized the deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) personnel from these countries to the Chong Anma, Kritsana, and Chong Chuptamok bases to address concerns, particularly those involving personnel encountering landmines and reported violations of ceasefire agreements by Cambodia.
According to Thai News Agency, the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters will oversee a 14-member Interim Observer Team (IOT) from Brunei, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam. This team, led by the Malaysian Defence Attache in Bangkok, is tasked with inspecting operations at the Second Army Area Operations Center, known as the Suranaree Forces. This mission is a response to allegations of Cambodia’s ceasefire violations, which have been highlighted in a memorandum of understanding following a meeting of the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC). The mission also aims to address hindrances faced by the National Mine Action Center’s mine clearance efforts.
The mission commenced with a journey from Bangkok to the 22nd Military Circle Headquarters in Muang District, Ubon Ratchathani Province, where the team received an initial briefing on the situation. The following day, they traveled to the Chong An Ma area in Nam Yuen District and later to Pha Mor I Daeng in Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province, to receive updates on the ceasefire violation issues. In the afternoon, the team moved to the Kritsana-Prap Suek base near Phu Makhuea to observe the operations of the 2nd Humanitarian Bomb Operations Unit.
On the final day of the mission, the group visited prisoners of war and then proceeded to Phanom Dong Rak Hospital in Surin Province to examine the impact of a BM-21 multiple-barrel rocket and received a briefing on the situation. Subsequently, they traveled to Chong Chub Tamok to inspect the site where a soldier from the 2601st Infantry Company had stepped on a landmine.