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24. The Security Challenges in the GMS
- ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute
- Chapter
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The Security Challenges in the GMS 123 By: ROS Size: 7.5" x 10.25" J/No: 03-14474 Fonts: New Baskerville 24. THE SECURITY CHALLENGES IN THE GMS SUCHIT BUNBONGKARN Reprinted in abridged form from Suchit Bunbongkarn, “The Security Challenges in the Greater Mekong Subregion”, in The Greater Mekong Subregion and ASEAN: From Backwaters to Headwaters, edited by Kao Kim Hourn and Jeffrey A. Kaplan (Phnom Penh: Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, 2000), pp. 143–46, by permission of the author and the publisher. The Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) comprises the Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar, which are the new members of ASEAN, and Thailand, an original member of ASEAN and the Yunnan Province of China. These countries share the Mekong River which is the world’s 12th longest river. The river has not been fully utilized for the development of the subregion . During the Cold War period, ideological conflicts, wars, and armed insurrections within and among the countries in the sub-region prevented them from working together for the economic wellbeing of their people, peace and security. Now that the Cold War is over, the GMS countries are yet to come up with cooperative efforts to develop the area. Thailand declared ten years ago a policy of changing the area of Indochina, which made up Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, from the battlefield to a market place. Thailand was supposed to assume its role in leading the development of the war-torn countries of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Now, Thailand has sunk deeply in economic crisis and because of this, it has to deemphasize this development role. If the GMS could be economically and politically developed, it would enhance peace, security and prosperity in the ASEAN region substantially. However, there remains a host of problems that the sub-region is facing, which have serious implications on regional security. Peace and stability in the region cannot be secured and strengthened unless these problems are taken care of properly and effectively. The first problem is smuggling across the borders of the countries in the sub-region, especially between Thailand and Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, and Thailand and Myanmar. At the moment, the scope and magnitude of the smuggling activities are not a serious threat to regional security, but it has the potential for developing 024 AR Ch 24 22/9/03, 12:43 PM 123 124 Suchit Bunbongkarn By: ROS Size: 7.5" x 10.25" J/No: 03-14474 Fonts: New Baskerville distrust among those who share borders, armed conflict and other illicit activities along borders that could affect regional security. The second problem is associated with illicit drugs. This problem is a serious threat to regional security because the GMS has been known for its illicit drug production and trafficking. The number of drugusers has increased considerably in the sub-region. Despite active suppression by the Thai government authorities, the illicit drug problem is still a serious challenge to national security as the use of the illicit synthetic drugs is increasing, particularly, among teenagers, urban and rural workers, truck drivers, and workers in entertainment and sex-related industries. Suppression is difficult partly because production sites are often found in the ethnic minorities’ mountainous area inside the Myanmar territory close to the Thai border, the areas beyond the control of the governments of Thailand and Myanmar. The use of illicit drugs can proliferate more easily in some of the GMS countries where law enforcement is known to be weak and the people are not well informed about their deadly consequences. The third challenge is illegal migrant labor. Labor movements in the GMS countries have increased substantially in recent years, from the “poor” countries to their relatively “rich” neighbors. In Thailand, it is estimated that there are about 700,000 to a million illegal migrant workers from Myanmar, and to a lesser extent from Laos and Cambodia. Thai political leaders and government officials have expressed their concern about this issue, that it may affect national security and bilateral relations with its neighboring countries. Thailand is in a unique position as it is both an exporter as well as an importer of legal and illegal migrant workers. Most illegal migrant workers from Thailand are women and work as prostitutes or in other sexrelated industries. As a recipient country, Thailand’s private sector welcomes illegal migrant labor since they are cheap and less demanding. However, the problem is that they are uncontrolled and undocumented. Like in other countries in the...