Border security is more than military engagements

The tourism ministry has organised a cyclo tour from Phnom Penh to Stung Treng. Ly David

#opinion

Minister of Tourism Hout Hak’s recent visit to the border was not only a mark of leadership but also an important action in supporting the local population and the country’s borders. The Stung Treng Provincial Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Cambodia Cyclo Association, organised the event under the slogan, “Giving Hope to Cambodian Cyclos”. The minister’s visit was part of a 6-day cyclo tour from Phnom Penh to Stung Treng, organised by the ministry.

Leadership is demonstrated by leading from the front and putting oneself squarely within the fray. With the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand still simmering, the minister’s visit demonstrated the Cambodian government’s continued engagement and commitment to the border. Border security is often misconstrued as an exclusively military effort; however, successfully securing one’s borders is always multi-faceted, encompassing military, economic, social and political activities. Tourism initiatives along the border can be an effective means of demonstrating the nation’s attention to the border.

The initiative also echoes the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk’s commitment to the defence of the border. In the 1960s, the King Father erected a stupa near the Cambodian-Laotian border in Stung Treng province, in O’Svay village. When he built the stupa, he dispatched 150 military families to live in the area as an advance echelon force to defend Cambodia’s territorial sovereignty. These families, including some of the original soldiers, still reside in the area even today, demonstrating not only their commitment to the region but also an example of enduring success in protecting Cambodian territorial sovereignty.

In similar fashion, the cyclo event demonstrates the government’s determination to leverage all the facets of its administration, including tourism, to reiterate that this is Cambodia’s land and that its commitment to its land and people will never falter or waiver. If local Cambodians are able, they should attend this event to welcome the cyclo riders and show their solidarity and commitment to the nation’s borders.

Youk Chhang is director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam). The views and opinions expressed are his own.

-Phnom Penh Post-
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