Sisaket: The opposition leader inspected the Siam Ruby Village Defense Volunteers (SVVs) in a village on the border. The village headman said he wasn’t afraid of artillery, but he was afraid of Cambodian invasion, as the Khmer Rouge had looted them before. He lamented a shortage of ammunition, with some villages receiving only 20-40 rounds. Teng expressed respect for their spirit, comparing them to politicians who still earn money, praising their sacrifices. Meanwhile, Wirote took up the matter of weapons as homework, declaring that the SVVs are important, saying that chickens must be guarded, pigs must be watched, drug addicts must be careful, and Cambodians must be watched.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Natthaphong Ruangpanyawut, leader of the Prachachon Party and leader of the opposition in the House of Representatives, along with Mr. Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a party-list MP for the Prachachon Party and chairman of the House of Representatives Military Affairs Committee, led a delegation of MPs to Ban Thapthim Siam 07, Bakdong Subdistrict, Khun Han District, Sisaket Province, to receive feedback and discuss the situation in the area from the Village Security Guard (VSC).
The Village Defense Volunteers in this area comprise three sub-districts: Bak Dong, Kanthrom, and Huai Chan. These areas were once refugee centers during the Khmer Rouge war, a strategic location vulnerable to Cambodian invasion.
At the beginning of the forum, Ms. Saisamorn Butpha, village headman of Thapthim Siam, stated that they have been working tirelessly to suppress the situation. Since the incident began, they have barely slept. In some villages, after the incident, everyone has evacuated. Many have abandoned their homes and are staying with relatives. They have to move far away. If there is a shelter that can provide care, they will go. Our forces are responsible for patrolling, checking in and out vehicles, and checking strangers. Our area is a high-risk area, as it is not far from Cambodia. What they need most are firearms. They want new, modern weapons, and a full supply of ammunition. Currently, some villages are being provided with 20 rounds, while others are providing 40 rounds, which is insufficient.
“During the war in Cambodia, during the Khmer Rouge era, they came to loot this place, to rob our Siamese brothers and sisters of their rubies. If we talk about it, what we’re not afraid of is the cannons. But we’re afraid of the Cambodians invading. Right now, it’s not just the Khmer Rouge having a problem with their country, but ours and Cambodia having a problem. If that were to happen, the Village Defense Volunteers (VDV) patrolling and taking turns would have to use this area as cover,” said Ms. Saisamorn.
Saisamorn continued, “We need compensation because we don’t have any welfare. We volunteer, and we buy our own uniforms. We wear them with pride, as if we have power. It gives us the strength to care for and protect others in our country. We, the Village Defense Volunteers, were born to repay the country. We are true volunteers. The more we are in the inner-city villages, closer to the border, the harder it is because no one sees the hardships they face. What we eat and drink comes from the people themselves. They give us M150, Mama noodles, and canned fish. We can’t move, we can’t even take a step back. We have to take care of the people’s property. I want you to be our representatives in our work. I don’t expect anything in return, but today you’ve seen how we live. Every village along the border is a strategic route.”
While most Village Defense Volunteers (VDP) said they lack sufficient ammunition for patrols, some villages only have 20-40 rounds. Furthermore, there are mentally ill and drug addicts in the village who have physically assaulted the VDP. I know there is compensation and welfare, but I don’t know when it will be available. Please don’t take care of us when we reach our destination or when there is peace. We’re not just afraid of Cambodia while we’re serving drug addicts in the area.
“We have a lot of them, 157,000 tablets. They’re OTOP products from my hometown. Just being careful about drug addicts is already difficult. I want to emphasize that the Village Defense Volunteers (VDP) don’t just protect against war threats, they do everything. We’re also concerned about illegal logging and Cambodian intelligence,” he said.
Mr. Natthaphong said that this Thursday (August 21, 2015), he will present various proposals for a live questioning session in Parliament. If he hadn’t been here today and hadn’t listened to the real issues, he might not have been able to gain a deeper understanding.
“Many people claim to be volunteers, but I think you’re more than just volunteers; you’re sacrificing. I’m a politician. We all say we volunteered to work in politics because no one forced us to. But we receive our salaries from taxes. Therefore, I never said we sacrificed for the public good, but volunteered to work for the public good. But I respect your dedication to defending the country,” said Mr. Natthaphong.
Mr. Natthaphong stated that our shared goal is to ensure everyone does not sacrifice beyond their means. We are doing what we can, each in small ways, to protect our country and our villages as best we can. Regarding financial aid or assistance measures, everyone here is also a citizen. What has been crystallized to some extent during our field visits is that I believe the measure that addresses the issue is household aid. Some budgets, in some cases, do not reach the people. Sometimes, the government announces measures but lacks clarity on implementation in each area. This demonstrates that centralized measures are good, but sometimes there are problems at the implementation level.
Mr. Wirote stated that the government is considering bringing the matter of supporting the work of the Village Defense Volunteers (VDV) to the Cabinet. This is considered the first step in fastening the VDV’s buttons. The VDV is extremely important in ensuring that villagers are ready to evacuate because they are trusted to guard their homes.
“Chickens need to be monitored, pigs need to be monitored, drug addicts need to be monitored, and Cambodians need to be monitored. And then there are drones. I think that’s incredibly important. I’ll ask on Thursday when the Cabinet resolution will be announced,” said Mr. Wirot.
Regarding the issue of ammunition, Mr. Wirote stated that if a gun has no bullets, then why carry it? He requested the 2026 budget to approve the purchase of weapons, ammunition, and body armor for the Ministry of Interior through the Department of Provincial Administration. He understood that some of the funds would be allocated to the Village Defense Volunteers.
“But I’m concerned about the long-term allocation system for all units, which should really only be given to units with the greatest need. I believe this unit is the one with the greatest need. I’ll keep an eye on it. We’re also afraid of bandits coming to rob the villagers, so weapons are a necessity. We’ll take care of that,” said Mr. Wirot.