The Thai Border Patrol Police force has reached an agreement with its Myanmar counterpart to turn parts of the western forest in Kanchanaburi's Thong Pha Phum district into a new tourist attraction.
The agreement was reached at last week's meeting between Pol Lt Gen Somphong Shinduang, chief of the Border Patrol Police, and Lt Col Tun Tun Win, head of Myanmar's military force stationed at the Thai-Myanmar border opposite Thong Pha Phum district.
Pol Lt Gen Somphong said both sides agreed that certain parts of the Thai-Myanmar border area had been without any security disturbances, border conflicts or drug trafficking activities for many years.
Both sides had therefore agreed that the disturbance-free areas of the forest along the common border should be developed into new national tourist attractions, he said.
After the meeting, Pol Lt Gen Somphong visited Chang Suek hill, the location of the border patrol police operation base in tambon Pilok. During the tour, he said the border patrol base was built about five decades ago when there were still sporadic skirmishes due to border conflicts.
The fighting and conflicts have since ceased following efforts by Thai-Myanmar authorities to promote bilateral cooperation, he said. His assurance was affirmed by Myanmar border soldiers whom he visited during the trip, he said.
The soldiers said Thai border patrol police officers at the Chang Suek base and the Myanmar troops on the other side of the border line have been working together to ensure the safety of the people, Pol Lt Gen Somphong said.
During the cool season, the number of visitors to Chang Suek hill surges and there is usually not sufficient camping space to accommodate them, he said.
The border patrol police have allowed tourists to camp out inside their base where tents, toilets and shower facilities are offered for free, he said.
Sometimes, the border patrol police office building was freed up for tourists who ran out of space outside for camping, he said.
A box is placed at the camp to collect donations to help offset the cost of maintenance and expenses, he said.
"Every single baht [of state budget we have received] is taxpayers' money. Why couldn't we give back to them this way?" he said.
"It's actually a duty of every civil servant in the country [to serve the public]."
He said he believes that when tourists appreciate the free service offered to them by the border patrol police, they will not be reluctant to give gratuity in return.
Farm products produced by students and teachers at Wichit Witthayakhan School, run by the Border Patrol Police, are also sold to tourists and the money will be spent on caring for about 200 poor children in the border area.
Families of border patrol officers can also earn some money through selling food and souvenirs to tourists.