The Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited representatives of Bangkok-based diplomatic corps from States Parties and States not Party to the Landmine Ban Convention, representatives of mine action authorities from Cambodia, Myanmar, and Lao PDR, as well as representatives of local and international NGOs based in Thailand and other Thai governmental agencies on a field trip to Thailand’s Humanitarian Mine Action Units in Chanthaburi and Sa Kaeo Provinces on 7-8 June 2012. The 47 participants were from Australia, Belgium, Norway, Japan, China, Indonesia, Switzerland, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand.

The field trip highlighted Thailand’s efforts toward multidimensional humanitarian mine action, namely mine clearance, victim assistance and social reintegration, and mine risk education as follows:

1. Thailand’s National Mine Action Standard (NMAS) was inaugurated on June 6th, 2012 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It will be instrumental to ensuring systematic mine clearance methodologies, consistent with international standards.

2. A briefing on the mine situation in Sa Kaeo Province, with the most densely mined areas in Thailand, was provided by the Humanitarian Mine Action Unit 1.

3. Participants visited Aranyaprathet Hospital, Sa Kaeo Province to observe victim assistance activities. The hospital has evolved to become the centre for regional mine victim assistance after 30 years of continuing medical services to mine victims in Thailand and Cambodia. In addition, participants of the fieldtrip were able to witness the fitting of prosthetic legs by the Prosthetic Leg Centre and the repair of artificial soles by the Tub-sadej Sub-district Administrative Organization. The service at the Prosthetic Leg Centre has been provided by mine survivors and has assisted victims to become a support network for other victims.

4. Participants also took part in the mine risk education routine during the daily flag-raising assemble at Baan Klong Yai Primary School, Chanthaburi province. The flag-raising activity is used as a platform to raise awareness and educate primary school children about the danger of mines. Baan Klong Yai Primary School is the main education centre for the Baan Klong Yai Community which is located only 2 kilometres away from confirmed mine hazardous areas. Parents and relatives of school children have been thoroughly affected by landmines. Nevertheless, mine-risk education has significantly reduced the number of new victims per year. Currently, there have been no new landmine victims reported in the community.

5. Victim assistance and social reintegration activities were also showcased at the Baan Klong Yai Village Community, Chanthaburi Province. Projects to support victim’s occupational reintegration have assisted victims in the village to achieve social independence through self-sustaining livelihoods including hand-weaving craftsmanship, hair-dressing, and small-medium size entrepreneurships.

6. Participants also observed mine clearance and stockpile destruction at minefields located in Pong Num Ron District, Chanthaburi Province, conducted by the Humanitarian Mine Action 2 with demining personnel from Royal Thai Marine Corps, Royal Thai Navy. The mined areas under the responsibility of Humanitarian Mine Action Unit 2 have been selected as pilot projects to employ the ‘Locating Minefield Procedure’ or the so-called Land-Release Technique. The ‘Locating Minefield Procedure’ coupled with the new Thailand’s National Mine Action Standard will be integral parts of efficient and safe mine clearance operations in Thailand, in line with urgent local area economic and social development.

Activities during the Fieldtrip have demonstrated Thailand’s active and multi-facetted implementation of the Landmine Ban Convention. The Royal Thai Government continues to strive for the complete removal of all mines buried. Furthermore, the field trip has been a platform for discussions on the possible assistance and cooperation to enhance mine action capacity in the region.