The government has approved a budget of 433.5 million baht for the Ministry of Interior to enhance security in seven Thai-Cambodian border provinces by constructing bunkers, public address towers, and improving communication and alert systems.
On 18 Aug 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Lalida Pertviwatana, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office, announced that the Cabinet approved the allocation of 433,519,268 baht from the 2026 fiscal year central contingency fund to the Department of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior. The funding supports a project to manage and protect rear areas in the Thai-Cambodian border provinces to enhance security for residents and officials, as well as to improve communication and alert systems.
The Deputy Spokesperson explained that the budget covers three urgent activities: constructing 1,669 bunkers and shelters with 361,021,218 baht; building 143 village public address towers with 22,880,000 baht; and upgrading a digital specialized radio communication system across the seven Thai-Cambodian border provinces with 49,618,050 baht.
"The core goal is to increase safe areas for residents in case of clashes and to ensure that government information and alerts reach the border population quickly, accurately, and comprehensively, especially during emergencies when communication directly affects the safety of lives and property," Ms. Lalida said. Ms. Lalida added,
The Deputy Spokesperson further stated that the project covers seven Thai-Cambodian border provinces and supports the operations of administrative officials, members of the Volunteer Defense Corps, and village security teams, who play a role in maintaining order, protecting residents, and safeguarding homes and property when evacuations are necessary.
Previously, the Budget Office considered a 493,819,268 baht framework covering four activities, including the procurement of 1,675 shotguns worth 60.3 million baht to support village security teams. However, since the procurement is still undergoing legal review and approval processes, the Ministry of Interior proposed proceeding only with the three ready and urgent activities, resulting in the approved budget of 433.52 million baht this time.
Ms. Lalida explained that the project aims to ensure the border areas are prepared with shelters, information systems, alert mechanisms, and communication channels between agencies and residents to enhance capacity for handling security situations and other border issues such as illegal immigration, smuggling, drug trafficking, and transnational crime.
"The government prioritizes the safety of residents in border areas. This budget focuses on practical and immediately implementable measures—shelters and communication systems—to ensure timely alerts and assistance during emergencies," she said. The Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office concluded.