Photo Credit: Army Military Force Facebook
Thailand will begin constructing fences along part of its border with Cambodia next month to strengthen security following deadly clashes between the two countries last year amid longstanding tensions.
The first section of fencing will cover 1.3 kilometres in Pong Nam Ron district of Chanthaburi province, according to Maj Gen Vithai Laithomya, spokesman for the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters.
He said the project, which will secure a small portion of the nearly 800-kilometre border between Thailand and Cambodia, is not related to any territorial dispute and has been approved by the Cambodian side.
“The construction of this border fence is not just about building a physical barrier, but also about providing peace of mind for communities living along the border,” Maj Gen Vithai said in a statement.
The fencing is expected to take around 45 days to complete. The area has already been cleared of landmines, and a paved road has been built on the Thai side of the border to support the project.
In later phases, the military plans to install permanent walls and electronic fencing systems equipped with sensors and CCTV cameras to enable round-the-clock monitoring.
Details of the initiative were first disclosed late last year after the first of two border clashes between the neighbouring countries. In October, the Thai military presented the project blueprint to Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn, who offered support through her foundation.
The princess’s Hataitip Fund announced in late October that it had received more than 200 million baht in public donations for the project. In December, the princess provided 121 million baht to the Thai military to finance the first phase of construction.