On 21 October 2015, Ms. Dao Vibulpanich, Director of the Peace, Security and Disarmament Division, Department of International Organisations, attended the ceremony to hand over safe mine-free land under the “the Implementation and Dissemination of the Experience of Minefield Releasing at Border Area with Cambodia in Surin Province, Thailand -  MRCT Project” at Charat Pattana Village, Charat Pattana Sub-District, Buached District, Surin Province. Other representatives from relevant governmental and non-governmental organisations also attending the ceremony were: Mr. Atthaporn Singhavichai, Governor of Surin Province, Lt. Gen. Wittaya Wachirakul, Director-General of the Thailand Mine Action Centre, Mr. Hattori Takanori, First Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Thailand, Gen. (ret.) Tamrongsak Deemongkol, Chairman of the Thai Civilian Deminer Association (TDA) and representatives of local authorities.

 

            The ceremony marked the completion of the mine clearance operation in the area of Charat Pattana Village, Buached District, Surin Province. This mine clearance Project was carried out by the Thai Civilian Deminer Association (TDA) under the supervision of the Thailand Mine Action Centre (TMAC) and financed by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).   The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has played a crucial role in facilitating the funding application process.

 

            The MRCT project started in April 2014.  After 1 year and 6 months, the project managed to remove and destroy 2,729 landmines and other unexploded ordnances (UXOs) in the area close to the Thailand-Cambodia border. As a result,  2,445,495.49 square meters of safe land were handed over to the Huay Tabtan - Huay Samran Wildlife Sanctuary, giving local people safe access to collect forest products for their livelihoods. There was no single accident or any casualty during the operation of this project.

 

            At present, Thailand has approximately 470 square kilometres of landmine-contaminated land remaining in 17 provinces which is the result of various armed conflicts in the past. As a State Party to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, Thailand strives to fulfill its obligations under the Convention, including  clearing all contaminated area in its territory in order to prevent further landmine accident and  to promote economic and social development in those areas. The MRCT project is a good example of cooperation between Thailand and Japan on humanitarian mine action. Apart from direct benefits to local people, the project also opened up opportunities for enhanced people-to-people contacts between Thailand and Cambodia, thereby reinforcing regional connectivity as a whole.