- May 4, 2021
- 3,591
| Treaty on Border Security, Accountability, and Cooperation between the Empire of Myanmar and the Socialist Republic of Thailand |
Preamble
The Empire of Myanmar ("Myanmar") and the Socialist Republic of Thailand ("Thailand"), hereinafter referred to collectively as “the Parties”;
Recognizing the importance of peace, stability, and mutual respect between neighboring nations;
Acknowledging the events of the recent armed incursion by the Thai Armed Forces into sovereign territory of the Empire of Myanmar;
Wishing to resolve ongoing matters through peaceful, lawful, and internationally recognized mechanisms;
Striving to ensure civilian safety, mutual accountability, and a cooperative spirit in the management of border affairs;
Have agreed as follows:
Article I – Acknowledgment and Referral to the Global Assembly
1. Thailand formally recognizes that armed forces operating under its command did enter and engage within the sovereign territory of Myanmar without prior coordination or legal justification.
2. Thailand acknowledges that this act constitutes a breach of Myanmar’s territorial integrity and accepts responsibility for said actions.
3. The Parties agree that this matter shall be formally brought before the Global Assembly, where Thailand shall not oppose an inquiry or deliberation.
4. Thailand will provide full cooperation to any investigative or mediation process initiated by the Global Assembly or its relevant sub-bodies.
Article II – Establishment of a Demilitarized Zone
1. A Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) shall be established extending 10 kilometers inward from Thailand’s side of the shared land border with Myanmar.
2. No Thai military presence, deployment, or activity shall occur within the demilitarized zone.
Article III - Monitoring and Investigation Rights
1. Myanmar shall have the sovereign right to conduct surveillance of the DMZ using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), subject to coordinated flight paths to avoid cross-border escalation.
2. Myanmar shall retain the right to deploy armed investigative personnel into the demilitarized zone for the purposes of:
2a. Investigating alleged treaty violations;
2b. Responding to acts of aggression or illicit military activity;
2c. Conducting joint inspections, where applicable;
2d. Thailand shall be given prior notification of such investigative operations, with opportunity to coordinate where appropriate.
Article IV - Policing Within the Demilitarized Zone
1. Thailand shall be permitted to operate a provincial-level police presence within the DMZ.
2. This police force shall:
2a. Remain under civilian jurisdiction;
2b. Be non-militarized, explicitly prohibited from utilizing military-grade weaponry, vehicles, or personnel;
2c. Cooperate with Myanmar’s investigative teams when operating in shared areas of concern.
Article V - Joint Border Committee
1. A Joint Border Committee (JBC) shall be established to oversee implementation, address disputes, and maintain coordination over the demilitarized zone and surrounding regions.
2. The JBC shall be headquartered in Mawlamyine, Myanmar, with a secondary office in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
3. The JBC shall meet at least once yearly, or as needed in response to incidents or violations.
4. The Parties shall request that the Secretary-General of the Global Assembly act as an official mediator and facilitator within the JBC, with the authority to intervene in matters of deadlock or escalation.
Article VI - Entry into Force and Duration
1. This treaty shall enter into force upon signature by both Parties and ratification in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures.
2. The treaty shall remain in effect indefinitely, subject to renegotiation only with the mutual consent of both Parties and notification to the Global Assembly.
Article VII - Final Provisions
1. This treaty shall be registered with the Global Assembly in accordance with international treaty law.
2. Any amendments must be agreed to in writing by both Parties and appended as formal protocols to this treaty.
In witness whereof, the undersigned representatives, duly authorized by their respective governments, have signed this treaty.
Signed in duplicate, in Thai, Burmese, and English, the three texts being equally authentic.
Done at Naypyidaw, on this 31st of August, 2006.
For the Empire of Myanmar
Me Minkhaung, Queen of Myanmar
Aye Maung, Minister of Justice
Aung San Suu Kyi, Minister of Foreign Affairs
For the Socialist Republic of Thailand
Thaksin Shinawatra Rotating Coordinator of Thailand
Kongkiat Nantawat, Ambassador of Thailand to Myanmar
