Royal Thai Police Bolster Border Security Amidst Thailand-Cambodia Tensions

Brickinfo News Agency – The Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) has ordered police units stationed along the Thai-Cambodian border to enhance their readiness and support frontline operations, emphasizing the implementation of the “Rear Area Protection Plan.” This directive aims to integrate efforts across all sectors to safeguard Thailand’s sovereignty and ensure public safety.

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Police General Kittirat Phanphet, the Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, addressed the current situation along the Thai-Cambodian border, noting its impact on national security and the safety of local residents. He confirmed that relevant units, including Provincial Police Region 2, Provincial Police Region 3, the Border Patrol Police Bureau, the Central Investigation Bureau, and the Immigration Bureau, have been instructed to fully prepare to support frontline officers in accordance with their police authority under the Rear Area Protection Plan.

To ensure effective security operations during potential threats, the Commissioner-General underscored the importance of the “Rear Area Protection and Civilian Evacuation Plan,” which elevates domestic security measures (Operation Plan July/67). This plan ensures that local police officers align their duties with national security missions and can respond promptly to emergency situations. Key aspects of police authority under this plan include:

1. Maintaining Peace and Internal Security: Police are primarily responsible for maintaining peace and order in rear areas, covering the origin, transit routes, and destinations of civilian evacuations. This involves establishing checkpoints, roadblocks, and surveillance patrols along routes, enhancing security at strategic points, and supporting other security agencies in containing escalating situations.
2. Civilian Evacuation and Vulnerable Group Assistance: Police are tasked with facilitating traffic on evacuation routes, controlling movements for order, safety, and speed, and deploying personnel to assist vulnerable groups such as children, students, the elderly, the sick, and people with disabilities throughout the evacuation process, as well as ensuring safety at shelters and assembly points.
3. Situation Analysis and Intelligence Gathering: Police are required to conduct proactive situation analysis with intelligence and security agencies, both domestic and international, to assess threat trends and identify high-risk areas. They also conduct intelligence gathering to detect movements or activities that could pose a threat to the area’s security, coordinating with the Royal Thai Army, the National Security Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other stakeholders.
4. Preparedness and Plan Drills: Police officers must ensure the readiness of personnel and resources, including communication equipment, vehicles, life-saving tools, and emergency communication systems. They are also to conduct drills such as Table Top Exercises (TTX) and Field Simulation Exercises to test readiness and foster mutual understanding with partner networks.
5. Public Communication and Relations: Police play a crucial role in communicating risks to local communities through appropriate channels such as public address systems, community radio, online media, and direct engagement via “Stop Walk Talk” activities. This aims to clarify the situation and build public confidence in government management, while also requesting cooperation in refraining from sharing images that could compromise security.
6. Law Enforcement and Human Rights Protection: During crisis control, police must operate under the rule of law, human rights principles, and proportional use of state power, prohibiting discrimination or excessive force. They are to systematically and verifiably document detentions and searches, conducting post-incident investigations to enforce laws and resolve situations.
7. Coordination and Integrated Cooperation: Police must act as a central coordinator with administrative, military, public health, local government, and public sectors. This involves establishing special task forces and local command centers to ensure unified and swift operations in all situations.

The Commissioner-General reiterated that the Rear Area Protection Plan and the elevated security measures reflect the police’s role as a primary security agency capable of comprehensive preparedness, response, and recovery. He emphasized that police operations under this plan prioritize professionalism, consistency with mission objectives, clear legal authority, and practices that uphold human rights and public dignity. These principles are considered critical in a border context sensitive to security, economic, and international relations.