"Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy" visits “Three Houses in Trat Province” to inspect and encourage frontline soldiers

Today (16 April 2026) Admiral Pairoj Fuangchan, The Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) , along with Vice Admiral Apichart Traprasert, Commander of the Marine Corps Command and Commander of the Chanthaburi and Trat Border Protection Command, visited three houses in Nong Ri Village, Chamrak Subdistrict, Mueang District, Trat Province, which were previously constructed by Cambodian forces encroaching on Thai territory. The purpose of the visit was to inspect and encourage personnel serving on the front lines. Captain Prachya Phoyoy, Commander of the Trat Marine Corps Task Force, gave a report and welcomed the delegation.

The frontline soldiers were then given the opportunity to perform the traditional Thai water-pouring ceremony to receive blessings from the navy commander-in-chief. On the occasion of Songkran Festival 2026, soldiers used water from drinking bottles for the traditional water-pouring ceremony. The Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy gave a speech to all personnel, wishing them good health and the ability to perform their duties in safeguarding national sovereignty and ensuring the public's confidence.

Admiral Pairoj stated after the site visit that, following the troop rotation on April 1st, he took the opportunity during Songkran to check on the well-being and security of the personnel, as well as to offer encouragement. He noted that the personnel are sacrificing personal happiness to protect national sovereignty. The Royal Thai Navy's operational lines from now on will remain the same, or troop deployment lines, as agreed upon and signed in the joint statement on December 27th. We will maintain this line to permanently reclaim what was lost for the Thai people.

Admiral Pairoj also mentioned the building that was formerly a casino near the Thmodda area. After Cambodia used the building as a military base to attack Thai forces during the fighting, initial inspections have determined that the building's structure is no longer usable. According to the latest report, the building is found to be unsafe according to engineering principles. We are currently considering how to proceed without affecting the safety of soldiers in the vicinity. However, we will proceed as comprehensively and cautiously as possible. We believe that since the building is deemed unstable according to the assessment, there will inevitably be a course of action to take.

Regarding whether there will be any problems with military operations in the area after the change in the commander of the Trat Marine Corps Task Force, Admiral Pairoj said that from today's field visit, he learned that the Royal Thai Navy has received excellent cooperation from the people of Trat and Chanthaburi, who have expressed their appreciation and support for the Task Force in all matters. The rotation of personnel is not a significant issue because it has been carefully considered by the unit, selecting those most suitable for the situation. He affirmed that the Royal Thai Navy adjusts personnel to best suit the tasks. He asked for confidence from the people of Chanthaburi and Trat provinces that the Royal Thai Navy will perform its mission to protect national sovereignty to the best of its ability and reiterated that there will be no surrender or retreat from our current defensive position.