National—
On April 11th, 2024, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin issued an order to assign a government special working group to monitor the volatile situation of the civil war in Myanmar.
In response to the order and as a president of the special working group, Mr. Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara, the Deputy Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, inspected the border checkpoint in Mae Sot, Tak, and participated in a briefing on the situation from representatives of high-ranking agencies to follow up on the situation.
According to Thai national media, the Thai government prepared for precautionary measures at the Thai border in Mae Sot, Tak, categorizing the situation into four main groups including 1.) Affected Thai citizens at the border may seek shelters that the Thai government had prepared in a designated area, 2.) Myanmar refugees may cross the Thai border safely to seek shelter in 123 designated points, 3.) The Myanmar junta military units stationed at the Second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge did not officially request refuge, and 4.) A group of Chinese people who illegally crossed the Thai border, Thai authorities would thoroughly screen them and determine their status.
In the case of Myanmar junta military personnel who wished to cross the Thai border, they must be disarmed and dressed as civilians before being permitted to cross the border according to the humanitarian principles of the United Nations, said Parnpree.
Recently, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin stated to the public regarding protection from encroachment on Thai aviation territory from the Myanmar civil war. In case there was encroachment of Thai territory, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) would react accordingly and deploy aircraft for surveillance.
Parnpree publicly revealed regarding the case that the Thai government would issue a warning to any offenders first and assert that Thailand would not allow any encroachment on Thai aviation territory.
The current situation in Thailand was fine, however, the civil war in Myanmar was unpredictable and the Thai government’s special working group would monitor the situation daily, emphasized Parnpree.
