THAILAND RESPECTS MALAYSIA'S MOVE TO CLOSE ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS – LT GEN PAISAN

SONGKHLA, Dec 22 (Bernama) -- Thailand respects the Malaysian authorities’ decision to shut down illegal crossings along the Malaysia-Thailand border in Kelantan, said Thailand's Fourth Army Region Commander Lt Gen Paisan Nusang.

He said existing laws should be upheld, and citizens of both countries must adhere to the legal frameworks governing their way of life.

He urged people from both nations to use gazetted routes to avoid running foul of the law.

"Some Thai citizens have been detained by Malaysian authorities for crossing the border through illegal routes in Sungai Golok. They have been held at the detention centre in Tanah Merah.

"The actions taken by Malaysian authorities are a positive and appropriate step to ensure better control along the Malaysia-Thailand border," he told reporters via a local translator during a recent special media visit to Thai authorities in Songkhla.

Paisan noted that although residents on both sides of the border have long used illegal crossings as part of their daily lives, these routes have caused significant challenges for authorities, particularly rampant smuggling activities.

"The closure of these illegal crossings has led to complaints, especially from the tourism sector, and has also forced the closure of many shops along the border. We aim to resolve these issues through discussions between authorities from both countries," he said.

Commenting on the entry of undocumented migrants into Malaysia, Paisan explained that Thailand has often been used as a transit point before the migrants cross into Malaysia.

"We have observed that ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar use Thailand as a transit point before crossing into Malaysia through illegal routes.

"These migrants enter Malaysia in search of a better life due to instability in their home country. It is also likely they are drawn to Malaysia because of demand in the labour sector," he added.

In November, Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff announced that beginning last Dec 1 the authorities would strictly enforce a ban on crossing the Malaysia-Thailand border via illegal routes in Kelantan.

Meanwhile, when commenting on drug trafficking syndicates, Paisan said there are no methamphetamine processing labs in southern Thailand, and it is believed that all the drugs are processed by syndicates operating in northern Thailand, bordering Laos and Myanmar.

“The syndicates use various methods to transport the drugs to southern Thailand before smuggling them into Malaysia.

“Our intelligence has found no methamphetamine processing labs in southern Thailand; all the drugs are brought in by syndicates,” he said, adding that the army continuously monitors Sungai Golok town to track syndicate movements and prevent them from crossing into Malaysia.

Paisan expressed further concern over the possible involvement of tourists, whether from Malaysia or other countries, in drug distribution activities.

— BERNAMA