By Thai Newsroom Reporters
CAMBODIA HAS GOTTEN as many as 4,000 drones which could probably be used either in reconnaissance or attack missions against counterforce and countervalue targets in Thailand, according to a former senior government official.
Those reconnaissance and attack drones supplied by China and currently at disposal of Cambodian forces might not only infringe upon Thai air space to search and find positions in Thai territory but be armed with bombs to attack any targets on the ground, especially those along the disputed border, Paradorn Patanatabutr, the former secretary-general of Thailand’s National Security Council, said today (Aug. 5).
The 4,000 Chinese-made aerial vehicles of the Cambodian forces would include some 1,700 drones which could probably be deployed in reconnaissance missions and some 2,300 others designed for attack missions, Paradorn said.
He said the Cambodian forces had allegedly provoked Thailand’s territorial integrity by flying a number of drones over Thai air space in the interiors of some of Thailand’s northeastern and eastern border provinces.
The Thai authorities have issued stern warnings against use of commercial or private drones over Thai air space, especially in vicinity of air force bases and other military installations as well as government premises, public infrastructures and public facilities anywhere following recent clashes in Thailand’s lower northeastern provinces along the disputed border with Cambodia and sustained tensions between the two neighbouring countries. Those found to have violated the government’s directive prohibiting the use of any drones for the time being could possibly be subject to a jail penalty or a fine or both.
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Drones flying high. Top photo: Jared Brashier on Unsplash, Front Page photo: Thai Rath
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