Tensions flared on Friday in a sensitive border area of Sa Kaeo province, after ultra-nationalist activist Veera Somkwamkid led a group of people to demand the removal of Cambodian settlers from Thai territory.
Supporters from outside the eastern province, including a busload of veterans from Ang Thong, arrived to join the demonstration at Ban Nong Chan in Khok Sung district. A backhoe was also on hand.
The Burapha Task Force deployed a company of territorial defence volunteers to seal off access routes about 800 metres from the Cambodian settlement, a source at the border said.
A second company of riot control police was stationed further inside, equipped with anti-riot gear. Behind layers of barbed-wire fencing, Thai army troops were deployed to prevent any potential incursion from either side.
Mr Veera arrived with one backhoe and four tractors, reportedly to be used to demolish houses within the disputed area.
He told supporters he would personally lead the march empty-handed and unarmed, while the heavy machinery would be held back but could be moved in once he gave the order.
The protest escalated around 1pm when Mr Veera and his supporters breached a security barrier near the village of Kamnan Lee, an area within Thai territory that remains hazardous due to the presence of unexploded landmines and reports of Cambodian snipers monitoring developments.
‘If the government won’t act, the people will,’ Mr Veera declared. ‘Don’t blame people for doing what the government has failed to do. How could they let Cambodians stay for 40 years?’
He warned that if martial law were invoked, it should apply to Cambodians first, not to him. ‘If officials try to harm me, I have the right to defend myself,’ he added.
Lt-Gen Adul Bunthamcharoen, the deputy defence minister, warned that any attempt at forced eviction could complicate the situation and impede the military’s efforts to implement the peace agreement, particularly regarding the management of disputed areas and joint demining operations
He stressed that the military must handle the sensitive issue of encroachment through existing mechanisms agreed on by both governments.
Despite repeated warnings from Thai security forces, Mr Veera’s group advanced into the zone, prompting officials to intervene and prevent further movement into the danger area.
Around 100 officers from the Internal Security Operations Command and crowd control units were deployed to maintain order and ensure public safety. Authorities urged protesters to stay on designated paths.
Officials subsequently invited Mr Veera and his group for talks, after which he reportedly said he was satisfied with their explanations.