The Thai army has begun clearing landmines in a village near the Cambodian border amid rising tensions between the two countries over plans to evict Cambodian settlers.
The Burapha Task Force deployed a mine-clearing vehicle to Ban Nong Ya Kaeo in Khok Sung district of Sa Kaeo province, the army said.
The operation began as authorities were expected to push back Cambodians living illegally in the area or take legal action against those refusing to comply with eviction orders.
However, the National Security Council (NSC) did not discuss the army’s proposal to seek approval for the removal of Cambodian nationals from Ban Nong Ya Kaeo and nearby Ban Nong Chan at its meeting on Friday.
‘The meeting only discussed the development of the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border,’ NSC Secretary-General Chatchai Bangchuad told reporters at Government House. He said the timing of any eviction would be left to the army’s discretion.
Authorities earlier reported that 135 Cambodian households were occupying parts of Ban Nong Chan and another 35 in Ban Nong Ya Kaeo, with all expected to move back across the border. Another group of illegal occupants has also been identified in Ban Ta Phraya in Ta Phraya district, within the same province.