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Thailand's first line of defence
Bangkok Post
|June 07, 2025
Lt Gen Boonsin: Leads from the front
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As tensions rise along the Thailand-Cambodia border in Ubon Ratchathani, one man stands firm at the heart of national defence — Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, commander of the 2nd Army Region.
At 60, with just months to go before retirement, he faces one of the most challenging assignments of his military career: navigating a dangerous flare-up with Cambodia while remaining steadfast under political scrutiny at home.
The conflict erupted on May 28, when Thai troops encountered a 650-metre long trench believed to have been dug by Cambodian soldiers in disputed territory at Chong Bok in Ubon Ratchathani. A fatal exchange of gunfire followed. When negotiations began between military leaders from both sides, accusations quickly mounted — during protests in Phnom Penh to online speculation that Lt Gen Boonsin had defied orders by refusing to pull back Thai troops. His name was even floated for possible dismissal.
This story is from the June 07, 2025 edition of Bangkok Post.
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