Click here for Lao version / ຄລິກຢູ່ບ່ອນນີ້ ເພື່ອອ່ານພາສາລາວ
Laos' and Thailand's security officials agreed to boost cooperation in maintaining peace along their common borders by deploying joint-armed forces to closely patrol the borders.
Brigadier General Bouasieng Champaphanh, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Lao Armed Forces, speaking in his capacity as chairman of the Joint Lao-Thai Sub-Committee on Border Security, said that in the 17th meeting of the Sub-Committee's Secretariat hosted by Laos recently in Vientiane, the two sides placed special importance on the need to tighten security measures along their common borders to enhance the effectiveness of their border protection in all aspects.
They agreed, among other things, on the need to cooperate with each other to intervene and address different issues that affect the safekeeping and security along all Lao-Thai borders. Particularly, armed forces of both countries will carry out patrols both on land and on the river, aiming to interrupt all activities of those who seek to destroy the two nations' relationships, to address the issue of people with dual citizenship living along their common borders, to cooperate in drug controlling and enforcement, to coordinate and exchange information on security matters as well as addressing the issue of illegal immigrants.
However, both Lao and Thai authorities admitted that it is not easy for them to reach their set goal when it comes to implementing their agreements. The fact that their borders stretch over 1,800 kilometers long makes it difficult for them to thoroughly patrol the borders or inspect every border activity, especially now that criminal activities have become increasingly prevalent, be it drug smuggling and trafficking, illicit lumber trade, trafficking in prohibited wild species, smuggling of illegal goods as well as labor trafficking.
Songrit Pongern reported from Bangkok on June 03, 2009.
Listen to Songrit's report or read our Lao version for more details in Lao.
