Cabinet sets up special centre to manage Thai-Cambodian border tensions

New centre aims to ease conflicts and defend Thai sovereignty

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the establishment of a Special Operations Centre for Thai-Cambodian Border Situations Management (SOC-TCBSM) to coordinate efforts in addressing tensions and potential conflicts along the Thai-Cambodian border.

Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said the Cabinet appointed Deputy Defence Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit to head the new centre, which will streamline crisis response and ensure fast, unified decision-making during sensitive border situations.

Response to May 28 border skirmish

The move follows a border skirmish near the Chong Bok Pass in Nam Yuen district, Ubon Ratchathani province, on May 28, which prompted Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to place the Royal Thai Army in charge of the situation.

However, under current arrangements, the army must seek government and National Security Council (NSC) approval for each action. To accelerate response times, the new centre will integrate efforts across relevant agencies.

Mission and scope

Jirayu said the SOC-TCBSM is tasked with defusing tensions and managing conflicts based on the principle of peaceful and friendly bilateral relations. At the same time, the centre will defend Thailand’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The centre will also be responsible for disseminating accurate and unified public information regarding developments at the Thai-Cambodian border.

SOC-TCBSM members

Headed by the Deputy Defence Minister, the centre will include 26 other high-ranking officials, including:

• Secretary-General of the National Security Council
• Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Defence, Digital Economy and Society, Commerce, and Labour
• Secretary-General of the Internal Security Operations Command
• Secretary-General of the Office of the Council of State
• Secretary-General of the National Intelligence Agency
• Commanders-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, Army, Navy, and Air Force
• Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police
• Directors-General of the Public Relations Department, Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs, Information Department, and East Asia Department
• Government spokesman
• Rear Admiral Surasan Kongsiri, deputy spokesman of the Royal Thai Armed Forces
• Woranat Kongmuang, Deputy NSC Secretary-General
• Representatives from the Foreign Ministry and other relevant agencies
• Assistant to the NSC Secretary-General
• Director-General of the Department of Border Affairs
• A representative or subject-matter expert may also be invited on a case-by-case basis, depending on the issue under consideration.

Strategic coordination and dissolution plan

Jirayu noted that the centre will monitor, analyse, and verify Thai-Cambodian border developments closely, and propose appropriate measures to the NSC, the Prime Minister, or the Cabinet as needed.

The centre is also empowered to coordinate all related agency operations, and may appoint subcommittees to support specific missions, if required.

Once the situation returns to normal, the centre’s head must report to the Prime Minister so that SOC-TCBSM can be formally dissolved.

The centre held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday at 1.30pm.