Top security authorities visit Thai border soldiers

BANGKOK, October 31 (TNA) - Thailand's Deputy Defence Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha and Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha are visiting soldiers deployed along the common border with neighboring Cambodia on Thursday. Both have arrived at the Suranaree Task Force in Si Sa Ket province in the Thai Northeast to boost morale of the Thai troops of the 2nd Army Area Command and to inspect living conditions of people near the Thai-Cambodian border. General Prayuth then told reporters that he also expressed his gratitude toward the Thai border soldiers for helping flood victims well in many areas. Asked whether he had any special instruction concerning an upcoming ruling on a Thai-Cambodian territorial dispute near the Preah Vihear Temple by the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ), General Prayuth said Thai soldiers know how they should take care of local areas and they have prepared plans to cope with emergency, civil protection and national security, while conducting surveillance when there is not any untoward incident. Regarding possible demonstrations about the World Court's upcoming verdict, the Thai army commander-in-chief acknowledged that the provincial governor is duty-bound to handle demonstrators, while soldiers will not let them enter some areas to prevent obstructions to military operations. (TNA)