THAILAND – The Thai army launched a major construction programme to build military bunkers and civil protection rooms along the border with Cambodia, backed by a royal fund headed by Princess Chulabhorn.
Royal initiative for border security
On 14 October 2025, Princess Prof Dr Chulabhorn Krom Phra Srisavangavadhana held a meeting with the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army and his senior team to set out plans for the Hathaithip Fund. The fund was created to strengthen the safety of troops and civilians in the border provinces and accepts donations from government agencies, private organisations and the public.
The princess instructed the army to accelerate construction of personnel bunkers for deployed units and civil protection rooms for local residents, emphasising speed and coordination across agencies.
Construction under way
Under the leadership of General Pana Claewplodtook, the First Army Region, together with the Burapha Task Force and local authorities, began site selection and building works in Sa Kaeo province. Military engineers and specialists surveyed locations deemed suitable for protective structures within the Burapha Task Force area of responsibility.
Officials reported that 72 military bunkers had already been created or modernised, and six civil protection rooms with a capacity of about 40 people each had been established. The first phase funded by the princess put ten new bunkers and two civil shelters into operation.
Why Sa Kaeo was chosen
Sa Kaeo, a border province adjoining Cambodia, has long been sensitive to periodic incidents and tensions between Thai and Cambodian forces. The new defensive and protective structures were intended to provide immediate shelter for soldiers on duty and for civilians in the event of cross-border clashes or other emergencies.
By locating shelters and bunkers close to vulnerable communities and forward units, authorities aimed to reduce response times and give people safe, hardened places to go during crises.
Response from troops and residents
Troops stationed along the border and local residents welcomed the construction, saying the works were a practical measure that reflected concern from the royal household and the state. For many in the area, the shelters offered not only physical protection but also a symbolic reassurance of support for communities in remote border districts.
Officials described the initiative as gratitude expressed by locals for the involvement of the princess and the visible presence of state institutions in an area that had sometimes felt overlooked.
National unity and future plans
The project showcased cooperation across the monarchy, the military and local administrations. Authorities said the Hathaithip Fund could expand further, financing additional protective structures if donations continued, and that the Sa Kaeo implementation could serve as a model for other border provinces.
While the measures were designed to improve safety for both military personnel and civilians, observers noted that infrastructure alone would not resolve underlying tensions along the frontier. Authorities framed the works as part of a broader effort to reassure communities and strengthen preparedness in a region where incidents have occurred intermittently.
As the Hathaithip Fund grows, officials said, more shelters may be built in other border areas. Whether the combination of hardened infrastructure and increased coordination will bring lasting calm to the frontier remains a question for residents and policymakers alike.