Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs on a visit to Mae Sot district, Tak province, to observe Thailand-Myanmar border situation

On 12 April 2024, H.E. Mr. Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, along with H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Police General Roy Inkhapairote, Secretary-General of the National Security Council (NSC), led a high-level delegation from various Thai security agencies, including Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Ministry of Defence (MOD), Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF), Royal Thai Army (RTA), Royal Thai Police (RTP), and Office the National Security Council (NSC) on a visit to Mae Sot district, Tak province. The main purposes of the visit were to observe firsthand the situation in the border area opposite of Myawaddy, Myanmar, receive briefings on impacts on Thailand and provide policy guidance for local authorities to ensure necessary preparations and mitigation measures, including plans for managing displaced Myanmar people fleeing unrest across the border.

Mr. Somchai Kitcharoenrungroj, Governor of Tak Province, along with representatives from other local authorities, gave briefing about the ongoing situation and led the delegation to visit the First and Second Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridges, and an area designated for Myanmar people fleeing unrest.

At the end of the visit, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs gave an interview to both Thai and foreign media, elaborating on the purposes and outcomes of the visit. He commended the local authorities in Tak province for closely monitoring the situation, being prepared to take any necessary measures to safeguard the country's sovereignty and protect the safety and well-being the Thai people, and making preparations and measures to mitigate potential impacts on the Thai side of the border.

Deputy Prime Minister Parnpree stressed the need for relevant parties in Myanmar to engage in dialogue in order to stop the violence, ensure that Myawaddy becomes a safe zone for the people on humanitarian grounds and bring peace and stability back to the Thai-Myanmar border, which is in line with the wishes of people on both sides of the border and ASEAN's 5-Point Consensus.

Deputy Prime Minister Parnpree also pointed out that the ongoing situation underlines the importance for Thailand to be prepared to provide additional humanitarian assistance to the affected Myanmar people along the Thai-Myanmar border, building on the successful pilot project on 25 March 2024. Currently, the Thai government is exploring ways to scale up humanitarian assistance to other areas.