Thailand Mulls Security Wall

[pampal]

Thailand's defensive weakness is it's endless shorelines, they should

invest in a bigger Coast Guard

[Jai Dee]

Thailand welcomes talks on extending Malaysian border wall

Thailand welcomes Malaysia to hold talk on Thailand's plan to extend security wall along the border to curb illegal border crossing and smuggling, said Thai Interior Minister Aree Wong-araya.

Speaking about a New Straits Times newspaper report that Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar suggested holding talks with Thailand about the economic and social impact of the Thai plan to extend a security wall along the border, Mr. Aree said that Malaysia should contact Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"It's a good thing to hold talk in the ministerial level. If there is anything concerning the interior ministry, we are ready to join the talk," he said.

Thailand has a three-kilometre wall on its southern border between the Thai town of Sadao and the Malaysian town of Padang Besar.

Surayud said Sunday his government would extend the existing wall south by 27 kilometres to the violence-plagued province of Yala.

Asked about the issue on agenda upon the upcoming visit of Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to Thailand on Feb 11, the interior minister said the Malaysian premier has already known all

details about the insurgency in Thailand's southern border provinces.

High on the expected agenda is how Kuala Lumpur will cooperate with Thailand to bring peace to the insurgency-ravaged region.

Speaking Tuesday night in Bangkok, former Malaysian deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim said that Prime Minister Abdullah should be more clear and forceful in calling on Muslims on both sides of the border

to "give peace a chance" and cooperate with the Thai government's concilliation measures.

The Malaysian prime minister is scheduled to visit Thailand between Feb 11-13.

Source: TNA - 7 February 2007

[george]

Thai-Malaysian security wall to be extended by 10kms

SONGKHLA: -- Thai and Malaysian military commanders have reached an agreement Tuesday to extend the existing security wall in Thailand’s deep south by ten kilometres.

The announcement was made at a joint press conference following the 87th meeting of the joint border committee in Songkhla.

Fourth Army Region commander Lt- Gen Viroj Buajaroon, who is in charge of Thai military operations in the south, and Lt-Gen Zulkifli bin Mohammed Zin, Malaysian regional commander, told a press conference that the single wire fence would run to the east and west of Baan Dan Nok border checkpoint in the Thai town of Sadao in Songkhla province, opposite Malaysia's Kedah state.

Both sides would hold another round of consultation on Thursday to agree on terms of reference.

Thailand already has a three-kilometre (two-mile) wall on its southern border between the Thai town of Sadao and the Malaysian town of Padang Besar.

Their commanders also said that both sides would increase military patrols along the 647-kilometre border and exchange security-related information.

Thai and Malaysian leaders held a summit meeting earlier this week to discuss joint efforts to curb an insurgency in Thailand’s Muslim-majority south.

Before the meeting, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said Sunday his government would extend the existing wall south by 27 kilometres to Yala, one of three restive southern provinces bordering northern Malaysia.

Apart from reining in the three-year insurgency that has claimed nearly 2,000 lives, Gen Surayud said the new concrete wall would help prevent an influx of illegal workers into Thailand.

--TNA 2007-02-14

[Jai Dee]

A longer border wall

Thailand and Malaysia have agreed to lengthen a border security wall by another 10 kilometres, the Thai News Agency reported yesterday.

The agreement was reached on Tuesday at a meeting in Songkhla between Fourth Army Region commander General Viroj Buajaroon and Lt-General Zulkifli bin Mohammad Zin, the Malaysian regional commander.

The extension would more than quadruple the length of the existing three kilometre-long fence near Songkhla's Sadao district and opposite Malaysia's Kedah state.

Representatives of the two countries will meet again today to work out details of the project.

The countries also agreed to increase routine patrols along the border and share securityrelated information.

Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has proposed extending the existing border wall by 27 km to improve security in the deep South and prevent the flow of illegal workers across the common border.

Source: The Nation - 15 February 2007