Why the border security management is important

 21 ก.ค. 2565 16:37 น. | อ่าน 26848

The policy of opening the Thai - Malaysia border brings joy to the people of both Thailand and Malaysia because this is to restore hundreds of billions worth of economy that have been affected by the situation of the Covid- 19 epidemic in the past three years.

Tendency to economic growth according to the opening of the Thai - Malaysia border above or the other side of the border is considered a good thing.  Anyway, while good things happen, some activities either bad or problematic, both serious and not serious, do occur in parallel. This is normal in human society.

However, those who are responsible whether it is a government agency or related sectors will require management to create good things to occur as much as possible, at the same time, try to control so that bad things or problems do not happen or occur as little as possible along the border. We call these activities "Security Border Management".

Various complex problems and connected in many dimensions

Many different problems are occurring along the border. The main problems are:

• Transnational crime problems include:

1) Drug trafficking problem which is smuggled along the border. Subsequently, these drugs are imported into the inner area of the country, and then Thailand is used as a route for drug delivery to third countries both inside and outside the region.

2) Arms trade problem with the smuggling of war weapons in the border areas. These war weapons are sold to troops fighting along the border. Also, it appeared news that a group of drug traffickers in the southern border provinces of Thailand have been smuggling war weapons into neighboring countries as well.

• Problems of illegal labor and illegal immigration arise from economic, social, and political issues in neighboring countries, resulting in people from neighboring countries smuggling into the city illegally to earn more income and to have a better life.
• The problem of encroaching fishing from fishing boats of neighboring countries that is close to the Thai border.
• The problem of spreading disease along the border, For example, the latest epidemic is the epidemic of COVID- 19 between the Thai - Malaysia border and the Thai - Myanmar border, etc.
• The problem of unclear border lines in many areas along the border such as Thai – Cambodia, Thai - Malaysia, etc.

Occur at the border but affects the whole country

Thailand has borders with many neighboring countries, whether it is Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia. The occurrences on each side of the border, particularly the security situation, will differ depending on the context of each area, however, there is a relationship with various dimensions. at the local level and/or at the national level.

Various dimensions that occur on the border comprise both positive dimensions such as the growth of border trade, which has a positive effect on both the lives of people in the area along the border and, in yielding economic value to other parts of the country. As well, they generate problems that variously affect both the local and national levels.

There must be a security border management.

Characteristics of border problems as mentioned above are complex problems that are interconnected in many dimensions. Therefore solutions to those complex problems require cooperation and integration between government agencies and related sectors under a shared vision and clear common goals to formulate an effective border efficient security management plan.

This plan can be used as a guide in the integrated management of border security for agencies and related sectors effectively.

10 guidelines for border security management

The guidelines for border security management consist of 10 main approaches as follows:

1) Establish a border protection system whether it is the arrangement of defense systems for land and sea border areas to prevent and manage security threats promptly and include the support of economic, social, and environmental development of Thailand and neighboring countries.

2) Develop a security alert system using information technology systems to support related operations with the connection of related databases.

3) Link to cross-border traffic databases (goods and vehicles) to monitor security risks that lie inherently in economic activities.

4) Develop a cross-border traffic system to prevent and control smuggling and transnational crime problems to prevent security threats from cross-border traffic promptly.

5) Organize a system of foreign workers across the border in each category so that the related authorities can organize these foreign workforces appropriately to the needs of each area.

6) Develop an epidemic detection system and cross-border referral system to prevent the spread of disease that is a threat to people, animals, and plant diseases.

7) Carry out the organization of conditional areas of stability issues and control the use of areas with boundary problems to reduce confrontation or wounding with neighboring countries.

8) Develop an intelligence system focusing on the integration of intelligence in border areas and neighboring countries including building a public intelligence network.

9) Support the development of understanding and public relations in border areas to create integration in the matter of enhancing understanding. and public relations between government officials and people, leading to strengthening security networks in border communities.

10) Monitor and surveil coastal areas to strengthen the integration of agencies involved in coastal surveillance in security threats and the preservation of national interests at sea.

All of the above stories are meant to address the key issues:

One, “why manage border security? ”

Two, What must be managed?”

and Three, “10 key guidelines that will be integrated between agencies. and related sectors and then prepare a plan for border security management" to achieve the vision and common goals in the management of border security in each area.