Bangkok--Jun 30--MFA
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, I am pleased to welcome you to the Friends of Mine Action Reception.
First of all, like myself, many of you may be wondering who or what are the Friends of Mine Action. It is a phrase coined by officials in the International Organizations Department. Among such friends are representatives of countries, both members of the Mine Ban or Ottawa Convention as well as those who are not members. Such friends also include UN and international agencies and the private sectors including NGOs, foundations and charitable organizations — many of whom are here with their displays of their activities. All have one thing in common. You are all friends and supporters who have cooperated with Thailand, be it the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Thailand Mine Action Center. Therefore, the purpose of tonight’s Reception is to recognize and thank all of you for your cooperation and assistance as well as to update you on the latest information on Thailand’s mine action situation and activities.
I would also like to welcome the members of the Technical Mission from the Bureau of Crisis Prevention and Recovery of the United Nations Development Program or UNDP, who are on a support visit to Thailand between 23-28 June 2008. I am confident that their experience in the field in the past few days, which they will share with us this evening, will provide us with a clearer picture of the situation regarding landmines in Thailand today.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thailand is one country in this region which is affected by landmines. The majority of the landmines are found along the borders with our neighbours, with the heaviest concentration along the Thai-Cambodian boundary. Consequently, the local communities in these areas have to live with the ever-present threat and dreadful impact of landmines, which affect their quality of life, socio-economic well-being, as well as damage their mental and physical health.
With these facts in mind, the Thailand Mine Action Center, or TMAC, was set up as the national focal agency for mine action. It operates under the guidance of the National Committee on Humanitarian Mine Action, chaired by the Prime Minister of Thailand. In the broader context, Thailand also joined the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in 1997 and became the State Party in 1999. Through this mechanism, Thailand’s mine action strategy emphasizes the tasks of landmine victim assistance, mine clearance, and mine-risk education. Since then, TMAC has launched and implemented several programs in line with this strategy.
Thailand has made progress in many key areas of mine action. Statistics show that the number of mine victims in Thailand has decreased significantly. Nonetheless, our major challenge remains mine clearance. At present, TMAC has cleared 860.5 sq.km. of dangerous areas using both traditional clearance method as well as the more recent method called Locating Mine Fields. De-mining is very task specific. It is a time-consuming, dangerous and costly process. Furthermore, action by the Government alone cannot bring about success. To attain our ultimate goal of a mine-free Thailand, we must mobilize collaborative efforts in order to acquire adequate technical and financial support from all stakeholders, as well as foster closer cooperation with other countries and the international community.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the past, mine action in Thailand was funded mainly by the Royal Thai Government. However, NGOs operating in this area have received support from a number of countries. At this juncture, Thailand needs to expedite the mine clearance process. It is imperative for TMAC, other implementing agencies as well as NGOs to cement closer ties with friends and supporters of mine action around the globe. It is my hope that this evening would be a good opportunity for us to exchange views and experience on the myriad problems confronting landmine clearance and to receive the latest updates on the current situation of mine action in Thailand. Here, let me welcome in particular Lt. Gen. Tumrongsak Deemongkol, Director of TMAC, and his team.
In this regard, let me encourage everyone here tonight to learn more about Thailand’s mine action, talk to the leading experts in this field who are here with us tonight, and make new contacts that will hopefully lead to future cooperation. By coming together to exchange ideas and working on what we can do, I believe that together we can help move forward our shared humanitarian cause of ridding the world of the scourge of landmines.
Thank you once again for joining us tonight and I wish you a fruitful and enjoyable evening.
Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press Division, Department of Information Tel.(02) 643-5170
Fax. (02) 643-5169 E-mail : div0704@mfa.go.th End.
-PM-
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, I am pleased to welcome you to the Friends of Mine Action Reception.
First of all, like myself, many of you may be wondering who or what are the Friends of Mine Action. It is a phrase coined by officials in the International Organizations Department. Among such friends are representatives of countries, both members of the Mine Ban or Ottawa Convention as well as those who are not members. Such friends also include UN and international agencies and the private sectors including NGOs, foundations and charitable organizations — many of whom are here with their displays of their activities. All have one thing in common. You are all friends and supporters who have cooperated with Thailand, be it the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Thailand Mine Action Center. Therefore, the purpose of tonight’s Reception is to recognize and thank all of you for your cooperation and assistance as well as to update you on the latest information on Thailand’s mine action situation and activities.
I would also like to welcome the members of the Technical Mission from the Bureau of Crisis Prevention and Recovery of the United Nations Development Program or UNDP, who are on a support visit to Thailand between 23-28 June 2008. I am confident that their experience in the field in the past few days, which they will share with us this evening, will provide us with a clearer picture of the situation regarding landmines in Thailand today.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thailand is one country in this region which is affected by landmines. The majority of the landmines are found along the borders with our neighbours, with the heaviest concentration along the Thai-Cambodian boundary. Consequently, the local communities in these areas have to live with the ever-present threat and dreadful impact of landmines, which affect their quality of life, socio-economic well-being, as well as damage their mental and physical health.
With these facts in mind, the Thailand Mine Action Center, or TMAC, was set up as the national focal agency for mine action. It operates under the guidance of the National Committee on Humanitarian Mine Action, chaired by the Prime Minister of Thailand. In the broader context, Thailand also joined the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in 1997 and became the State Party in 1999. Through this mechanism, Thailand’s mine action strategy emphasizes the tasks of landmine victim assistance, mine clearance, and mine-risk education. Since then, TMAC has launched and implemented several programs in line with this strategy.
Thailand has made progress in many key areas of mine action. Statistics show that the number of mine victims in Thailand has decreased significantly. Nonetheless, our major challenge remains mine clearance. At present, TMAC has cleared 860.5 sq.km. of dangerous areas using both traditional clearance method as well as the more recent method called Locating Mine Fields. De-mining is very task specific. It is a time-consuming, dangerous and costly process. Furthermore, action by the Government alone cannot bring about success. To attain our ultimate goal of a mine-free Thailand, we must mobilize collaborative efforts in order to acquire adequate technical and financial support from all stakeholders, as well as foster closer cooperation with other countries and the international community.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the past, mine action in Thailand was funded mainly by the Royal Thai Government. However, NGOs operating in this area have received support from a number of countries. At this juncture, Thailand needs to expedite the mine clearance process. It is imperative for TMAC, other implementing agencies as well as NGOs to cement closer ties with friends and supporters of mine action around the globe. It is my hope that this evening would be a good opportunity for us to exchange views and experience on the myriad problems confronting landmine clearance and to receive the latest updates on the current situation of mine action in Thailand. Here, let me welcome in particular Lt. Gen. Tumrongsak Deemongkol, Director of TMAC, and his team.
In this regard, let me encourage everyone here tonight to learn more about Thailand’s mine action, talk to the leading experts in this field who are here with us tonight, and make new contacts that will hopefully lead to future cooperation. By coming together to exchange ideas and working on what we can do, I believe that together we can help move forward our shared humanitarian cause of ridding the world of the scourge of landmines.
Thank you once again for joining us tonight and I wish you a fruitful and enjoyable evening.
Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press Division, Department of Information Tel.(02) 643-5170
Fax. (02) 643-5169 E-mail : div0704@mfa.go.th End.
-PM-