Troops get nod to push back incursions

The commander of the Second Army Region, Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, has authorised soldiers to immediately retaliate in the event of an incursion by Cambodian troops and/ or fresh landmine placements along the disputed border between the two countries.

- POST REPORTERS

The instruction comes as the Thai-Cambodian Regional Border Committee (RBC) prepares to meet at Chong Sa-ngam permanent border checkpoint in Si Sa Ket’s Phu Sing district tomorrow.

According to Lt Gen Boonsin, tomorrow’s meeting will primarily focus on landmine clearance and protecting the country’s territorial integrity, concerns which he said were echoed by the First Army Region and the Royal Thai Navy.

He said the government's request for Cambodia to cooperate in demining operations covers the entire frontier, not just the areas which have been demarcated, though he admitted that it was unclear if Phnom Penh would accept the condition.