Sa kaeo: Nattapol has ordered the army and the public to file a complaint against Cambodia for assault and the removal of the barbed wire fence at Ban Nong Chan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a protest letter, emphasizing Thailand's sovereignty and preparing to discuss all issues at the GBC in September. He emphasized that local units can immediately respond with fire, in accordance with the rules of force.
According to Thai News Agency, General Nattapol Nakphanit, Deputy Minister of Defense, addressed the Cambodian intruders' attempt to dismantle barbed wire fences and assault Thai officials in the Ban Nong Jan area of Khok Sung District, Sa Kaeo Province. He stated that the incident occurred when the Sa Kaeo governor was meeting with residents at Ban Nong Jan, prompting officials to install additional barbed wire fences due to concerns about potential disturbances by Cambodians. The Cambodians intended to dismantle the additional fence, not the original fence. He advised officials that the fence was being erected on Thai territory and that such actions were illegal, and that legal action would be taken. The First Army Region, or Burapha Force, could file charges of vandalism against government property. He emphasized that the incident would not occur again, as it was unacceptable to the public.
General Nattapol admitted that pressuring the villagers was making the authorities' work more difficult, and he ordered them to submit a protest letter through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citing Thailand's sovereign territory as a place where such actions are not permitted.
Regarding the operation, General Natthapol stated that the operation will proceed according to procedure. The first step is to deploy an LRAD. Additional forces and police force are being considered, as using military force would be too violent.
It is acknowledged that Cambodia has intentionally used the locals to create unrest, and it is clear that Cambodian soldiers are behind them. Therefore, the First Army Region has been ordered to submit a protest letter, and this issue will be discussed at the next GBC meeting.
At the recent GBC meeting, it was agreed that Thailand and Cambodia would maintain constant communication and coordination. Therefore, today's incident might not be a problem. Discussions had taken place, which led to the situation being resolved because Cambodia understood that Thailand did not intend to do anything to further obstruct the situation.
General Natthapol stated that he had received reports of increased Cambodian military presence in the Preah Vihear area. He has ordered Thai soldiers to prepare for operations, combining negotiations and military force. Military operations will not be tolerated within Thai sovereignty.
General Nattapol mentioned that any intrusions will be fired upon according to authority. The Ministry of Defense's regulations on the use of force have already granted authority to the commanders of the armed forces and regional army commanders.
Regarding the Cambodian governor of Banchea Meanchey Province's letter to the Sa Kaeo governor about land title deeds, General Natthapol stated that these matters must be separated. The issuance of title deeds is the responsibility of the Ministry of Interior, while security and sovereignty protection are the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense. Regarding sovereignty protection, he confirmed that the Ministry of Defense would not tolerate this.