On 21 September 2018, the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Thailand Mine Action Center (TMAC), Royal Thai Armed Forces, co-organised a briefing on, “Thailand’s Progress in Releasing Landmine Contaminated Areas and Developments on the National Mine Action Standard” at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event was presided over by Mr. Damrong Kraikruan, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and General Chaichana Nakkerd, Deputy Chief of Joint Staff, Royal Thai Armed Forces.

                   The event showcased Thailand’s progress in reducing landmine contaminated areas and improving its working methods in mine clearance to meet international standards of the Mine Ban Convention, to which Thailand is a State Party.
At the event, TMAC announced its latest progress in mine clearance, declaring the three provinces of Uttaradit, Tak and Yala as mine-free.  The event was attended by around 70 people including representatives from TMAC, Ministry of Human Security and Social Development, Ministry of Public Health, the Embassies of Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Vietnam, Timor-Leste, Japan, and the United States, which have close cooperation with TMAC, the Norwegian Peoples’ Aid (NPA) and the Thai Deminers Association (TDA), and members of the press.

                   The Deputy Permanent Secretary reiterated Thailand’s strong commitment towards the Mine Ban Convention, which has been acknowledged internationally, as well as, thanking all parties, both Thai and foreign, who have worked tirelessly alongside TMAC over the years. The Deputy Chief of Joint Staff updated participants on the latest status of mine clearance work which will be further improved with the new set of standards in place, whilst reaffirming the intention to make Thailand mine-free within 2023.

                   Furthermore, participants toured exhibitions organised by TMAC and other agencies, including demining exhibitions by the Thailand Mine Action Center, NPA and TDA, and exhibits by the Ministry of Human Security and Social Development on assistance to victim of landmines, which is also a core obligation of the Convention, particularly in assistance to help mine victims generate income through creating and selling handicrafts such as handbags, t-shirts and artificial decorative flowers.

                   The event reinforced Thailand’s unwavering commitment towards disarmament on the international stage and shed light on the importance of raising public awareness of the dangers of landmines.