SURIN - Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has called on security agencies to coordinate operating hours at Thai-Cambodian border checkpoints to enable cross-border trade and movement of people.
Ms Paetongtarn travelled to the northeastern province of Surin on Wednesday and was briefed on the border situation at Kap Choeng Hospital, as were ministers and other officials travelling with her.
Four Surin districts — Kap Choeng, Buachet, Phanom Dong Rak, and Sangkha — share a 125-kilometre border with Cambodia, said Chamnan Cheunta, Surin’s governor.
He added that the province has 54 natural border routes and one permanent checkpoint in the Chong Jom area.
The Chong Jom checkpoint used to open from 8am to 10pm daily. However, new measures imposed in response to tensions between the two countries mean the checkpoint now opens only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 8am and 3pm.
Cambodia recently announced a change in operating hours, opening the checkpoint between 9am and 4pm, leaving a six-hour window for travel and movement between the two countries, Mr Chamnan said.
Ms Paetongtarn then asked if cooperation could be achieved so that the opening hours match.
Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, commander of the 2nd Army Region, said army units could try reaching out to the Cambodians, but he admitted the matter was not without political implications.
During the visit, the prime minister thanked Lt Gen Boonsin for his handling of the crisis.
She also urged local government agencies to report directly to two deputy prime ministers who accompanied her on the trip: Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
She also called on them to correct any misinformation and fake news that might have been intentionally disseminated during the conflict.
Ms Paetongtarn then visited the Suranaree Task Force headquarters in Kap Choeng district to touch base and boost morale among the troops.
On Tuesday, Lt Gen Boonsin said the situation in the Chong Bok area of Ubon Ratchathani — site of the skirmish that touched off the recent dispute — had improved to a certain extent.
However, security measures will remain tight ahead of the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Border Committee (JBC) meeting on Saturday.
Lt Gen Boonsin said an agreement has been reached with Cambodia to mount unarmed patrols and meet three times a week in the area to ease tensions.
