Royal Thai Army Establishes Galyani Wattana Camp

Lieutenant General Walit Rojanaphakdee, Commander of the 4th Army Area Command, and Major General Wiwat Pathompak presided over the establishment of Galyani Wattana camp in the 151th Infantry Regiment. Also attending the ceremony were the Commander of the Cavalry Regiment Task Force of Narathiwat, the 151st Infantry Regimental Commanding Officer and the Commanding General of Narathiwat province and neighboring districts. Altogether, about 1,000 people took part in the ceremony.

Galyani Wattana camp was constructed in the Kubaesalaw village area of Kaluwor subdistrict, Narathiwat province, covering about 1,200 acres. Established with the approval of the government in 2005, it began to be built in 2009and was completed last year.

Galyani Wattana camp has been established as a strategic force to resolve the unrest in 3 southern border provinces. First called the 1st Department of Development and Resource Protection, the camp was renamed to the 15th Infantry Brigade. Finally, it has obtained the honor of being named Galyani Wattana Camp on 13 September 2013.

The mission of Galayani Wattana camp is to protect the country, secure its interior, maintain the peace, develop royal projects and manage resources.

According to the Commander of the 4th Army Area Command, the soldiers in Galyani Wattana camp are part of the Royal Thai Army’s strategy to resolve the situation of the southern border provinces. They are the Royal Thai Army’s only troops in this area; supporting these troops is the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Royal Thai Navy.

The Royal Thai Army is focusing on Galyani Wattana’s development, empowering soldiers to a high standard. The soldiers must be ready and dedicated to the mission of keeping the royal family safe. They must protect the border province. And they must be ready to live with the people near the southern border forever.

In addition, the Commander of the 4th Army Area Command has ordered the Commander of the Task Force to discuss with teachers in the southern border provinces what security measures to put in place when school opens.

Royal Thai Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha says he have ordered the soldiers in the southern border provinces to operate more stringently. The soldiers are to work according to the strategic plan.

General Prayuth enjoins the Commander of the 4th Army Area Command to coordinate ministries to improve the corresponding security roadmap. He has assigned the officers of the Internal Security Operations Command to coordinate the southern province’s companies to resolve matters, taking care in the present situation to maintain credible security.

By Kittima Chanwattanasil
14 May 2014