Corrections Department Activates Contingency Plans Amid Border Clashes

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

The Department of Corrections has confirmed that prisons in the three border provinces of Surin, Sisaket and Ubon Ratchathani are on high alert and have activated emergency response plans amid escalating violence along the Thai-Cambodian border.

Speaking on behalf of the department, Kanokwan Jiewchueaphan, Superintendent of Nonthaburi Provincial Prison and Deputy Spokesperson for the Department of Corrections, provided an update following a series of Cambodian military attacks.

Ms. Kanokwan reported that Kantharalak District Prison in Sisaket, located approximately 42 kilometres from the border, had registered nearby shelling just 15 kilometres away. In response, officials have proactively relocated vulnerable female inmates to facilities deeper within the country as a precautionary measure.

The province of Sisaket has begun evacuating residents from seven subdistricts. However, as of the latest update, the prison itself remains unaffected, and operations continue under heightened preparedness.

Senior prison officers have held briefings with inmates, staff and their families to explain the situation and reassure them. According to officials, morale within the affected facilities remains stable.

Meanwhile, Surin Central Prison and Ubon Ratchathani Central Prison, located 80–120 kilometres from the conflict zone, have not been impacted by the clashes. Nevertheless, both institutions have completed their emergency response plans and are ready to act if the situation escalates.

The Director-General of the Department of Corrections has instructed all prison governors and staff to remain on constant alert. Emergency relocation plans are in place, with the safety of both prison staff and inmates as the top priority. Should risk levels rise, immediate transfers to safer correctional facilities will be carried out.

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-07-26