On 22 December 2018, Ms. Morakot Sriswasdi, Deputy DirectorGeneral, Department of International Organisations, as the representative of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended a ceremony to send off Thai engineering peacekeepers to join the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The ceremony was presided over by H.E. General Pornpipat Benyasri, Chief of Defence Forces, at the Royal Thai Armed Force Headquarters. Representatives of the Royal Thai Army, the Royal Thai Navy, and The Royal Thai Air Force also attended the ceremony.

            The deployment of the Thai Horizontal Military Engineering Company (HMEC) fulfilled a pledge given by H.E. General Prayut Chan-O-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand, at the Leaders’ Meeting on Peacekeeping held in New York on 28 September 2015 to contribute military staff officers, engineering units with expertise in development and construction, and a Level-2 field hospital to participate in future UN peace operations as requested. This pledge was also reiterated by H.E. General Prawit Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence of Thailand, at the 2016 United Nations Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial Meeting (UNPKDM) in London.

             The United Nations then requested Thailand to contribute an engineering company with 273 military personnel to the UNMISS, and this request was approved by the Thai Cabinet on 17 October 2017. 

             On 14 December 2018, an advance team comprising 12 military personnel proceeded to Juba, Republic of South Sudan. The remaining 261 military personnel then arrived on 23 December 2018. The Thai HMEC’s main responsibilities include road reconstruction and infrastructure building in the United Nations military camp.

             Apart from the above mandates, the Thai peacekeepers will also promote development initiatives and the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) bestowed by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej to assist in achieving a sustained peace which complements the Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions).