SA KAEO, June 26 (TNA) – Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra today visited Sa Kaeo province to assess the impact of tightened border controls with Cambodia and ongoing cross-border crime.
Arriving by helicopter, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting at Aranyaprathet School. Sa Kaeo Governor Parinya Phothisat briefed her on security, trade, and efforts against call center scams and transnational crime, Cambodia’s electricity cuts from five Thai border areas and Thailand’s internet signal blocks. Authorities have also identified 65 unauthorized signal towers.
Governor Parinya noted that cassava import restrictions had boosted domestic sales but proposed reviewing Cambodian import quotas and addressing an unusual surge in passport applications. He also suggested reinstating the 1,000 baht ($27) fee for Cambodians returning during Songkran and recommended postponing the 75th-anniversary celebration of Thai-Cambodian relations indefinitely, halting non-humanitarian aid, and re-evaluating the Pong Nam Ron bridge construction.
The Sa Kaeo Chamber of Commerce called for short-term border access to support businesses with cross-border investments and highlighted around 500 cargo trucks stalled at checkpoints.
Prime Minister Shinawatra pledged more ministerial visits to address local issues and emphasized peaceful resolutions to prevent conflict. She assigned relevant ministries to tackle the problems, vowing to protect domestic agricultural prices and prevent imports that depress them. She also stated the government would swiftly assist citizens affected by the border restrictions aimed at curbing transnational crime.
Following the meeting, the Prime Minister met with students before proceeding to the Ban Khlong Luek border checkpoint to monitor the situation and meet with locals and officials. -819 (TNA)
