Project Monitoring Results
The monitoring revealed that the NTS-Mekong Watch project, both in terms of fostering relations with parallel communities and establishing the NTS-Mekong Watch coordination center, has progressed smoothly. However, new border security issues persist in Loei Province’s five districts due to natural features like dense forests, numerous waterways, and the Hueang and Mekong Rivers. These factors allow transnational crime groups to smuggle contraband across the border at any time and location. These include substantial quantities of narcotics (particularly methamphetamine), smuggled goods like vehicles, motorcycles, alcohol, cigarettes, and livestock. Security officers in the area also face challenges due to a lack of modern technology, such as night-vision cameras, bulletproof vests, and CCTV systems, and limited funding to support community networks for surveillance and patrolling security threats, especially narcotics trafficking.
Border Communities and Cross-Border Lifestyles (Beyond Border)
The field visit revealed that most parallel communities along the border are familial and closely interconnected, having originated from the same villages and sharing the same names across the Thai-Laotian border, separated only by the Hueang River. For example, Ban Na Kha (Dan Sai District), Ban Muang Phrae (Na Haeo District), and Muang Boten frequently cross the Hueang River to visit each other, particularly on religious observance days, using small wooden bridges or boats when bridges are swept away. This routine interaction highlights how interconnected their lives have become, transcending the concept of borders.
Humanitarian Principles vs. Security Protocols
From a security perspective, such interactions can be sensitive. Administratively, however, they are a matter of mutual understanding. This has led to the continuation of the NTS-Mekong Watch project, which builds on People-to-People Connectivity (P2P) to foster cross-border community strength (Building Strong Cross-Border Communities). This approach emphasizes humanitarianism, moral consideration, and contextual sensitivity. Issues involving daily livelihoods or challenges impacting residents’ well-being require flexibility and compromise to ensure peaceful coexistence on both sides. Administrative authorities, given their close relationship with the local population, often understand these nuances better than security forces, who tend to apply laws more rigidly without adapting to border-specific contexts.
A prime example involves local fishing in the Mekong River. Fishing boats sometimes inadvertently cross the border, resulting in unintentional violations of the law and fines reaching hundreds of thousands of baht. Such penalties are exceedingly high for border residents, and poorly managed responses could harm cross-border relations. Clear communication between local administrators and security forces is essential to minimize harm to residents while maintaining order.
Progress in Strengthening Cross-Border Relations
The visit confirmed the robust efforts to build cross-border relationships and foster strong communities, particularly in emergencies such as patient transfers and other coordination efforts concerning residents’ daily lives. These initiatives aim to support peaceful and harmonious living conditions.
Thailand’s “Reactive” Position on Border Demarcation Issues
Despite close ties with parallel communities, unresolved border demarcation issues remain sensitive. Disputed areas, particularly islands and sandbanks in the Mekong River, continue to pose sovereignty challenges due to differing territorial interpretations. Thai officials often find themselves in a reactive position due to insufficient knowledge of international and border laws, unlike neighboring counterparts who have specialized expertise in these fields. This underscores the need to enhance border officials’ legal knowledge to improve their effectiveness in addressing such issues.
“Psychiatric Patients” – A Growing Social Burden
The field visit also brought attention to the escalating impact of narcotics, reflected in rising numbers of psychiatric patients in the area. This issue affects families, communities, and officials, particularly local administrators, who often bear the burden of managing “violent patients” requiring treatment under government psychiatric care policies.
However, families frequently refuse to take responsibility for these patients, leaving hospitals and administrative officials to bear the burden. There are often no caregivers, as relatives consider the patients too dangerous to monitor, and there is no one to cover medical expenses. This ongoing challenge deeply concerns local officials, who are seeking sustainable solutions.
Officials noted that while the prevalence of psychiatric cases raises awareness about narcotics’ harm, it may not significantly deter drug use. In some ways, drugs have become a normalized issue in Thai society—unwelcome but tolerated.
Furturemore, during this visit, the delegation studied areas like cultural checkpoints in Dan Sai and Na Haeo and various natural crossing points along the Hueang and Mekong Rivers. They observed strong collaboration between local administrative and security forces, including the Mekong Riverine Unit, the Border Patrol Police Unit 246, and Chiang Khan police officers. Efforts like “Quick Wins” to address drug problems were evident. These observations will inform the ongoing development of the NTS-Mekong Watch project.
