Malaysian state proposes 100-km wall on Thai border to fight illegal entry

By Phan Anh November 6, 2024 | 10:22 pm PT

Thai forces patrol along the Thailand-Malaysia border. Photo by AFP

A Malaysian state is pushing for the construction of a 100-km wall along its border with Thailand to counter smuggling, illegal crossings and floods.

Kelantan's deputy chief minister, Mohamed Fadzli Hassan, said state authorities will propose the wall to Malaysia’s federal government, the South China Morning Post reported.

He highlighted that patrolling the extensive Malaysia-Thailand border poses significant challenges for security forces.

The proposal, initially raised by Kelantan’s police chief Mohd Yusoff Mamat, suggests that people currently park vehicles at Kelantan’s Rantau Panjang border town and cross the Golok River into Thailand’s Narathiwat Province.

To enhance border security, Mamat also recommended deploying drones to tackle trans-border crimes, including drug trafficking, as reported by Bernama.

The border security issue has drawn increased attention following a recent incident involving six Malaysians, including singer Eda Ezrin, who were charged with possession of methamphetamine pills in Thailand. Authorities seized over 6,000 pills from a hotel in Sungai Kolok.

Malaysia and Thailand share a 1,000-kilometer-long frontier with several land border crossings.