Final APLs Stockpile
Destruction in Thailand
Distinguished delegates , it is a great pleasure for
me to address
you today and to inform you
that Thailand has completed the destruction
of its stockpiled APL on the 24 th of April 2003
, six days ahead of the deadline . As most of you aware, States
Parties to the Ottawa
Convention are required to destroy all APLs in its stockpiles
within four years. Now, Thailand
has become one of the countries in
the Asian Region who has completed
its stockpile destruction.
On the 24 th of
April 2003 , Deputy Supreme Commander presided over the final APLs Stockpile
Destruction at Kao Pu Lone , Artillery
Firing Range , Lopburi province . High ranking representatives included the Director of Army Ordnance
Department , the Canadian
Ambassador to Thailand,
Military Attaches to Bangkok, various Thai authorities,
NGOs, International
Press Members , local communities
and Mine Victims witnessed
the event . Total number of
342,695 APLs were destroyed during the entire destruction programmes . The last 2,500 APLs were destroyed
on that day, a total of
4,970 APLs are retained for
training , research and
development .
Thailand used the Open (OD)
Detonation destruction technique
by using high explosive TNT or C4
which is available and
inexpensive. The method
used for the destruction
is to dig a hole, with about five holes
located nearby, the size of each hole is 1x1 meter
width, 1.5 meter depth, covered with soil at the minimum of 30 cm, each hole has the capacity to destroy about 500 APLs. The destruction has
been conducting at a safety distance about 5
kilometers away from community area . We also placed
the red flags by each hole as a warning sign to ensure the
people were aware. The
operation is conducted properly
within safe and security purpose.
The process is checked by the Polution Control Department to prevent any potential
effects on the environment . The cost for the
entire destruction programmes provided by the Thai Government amounted to approximately 3 million bath or about 800,000 USD.
Thailand is proud
of its effort to meet the stockpile
destruction obligation
and has always given high
priority to this pillar of
mine action, since we realize that every stockpiled mine destroyed
is a life potentially
save.
Finally, I
would like to take this opportunity to
encourage the States Parties who may
face difficulties in the area of stockpile destruction
to take action immediately since the deadline for
completion is rapidly approaching for many
States Parties . Should our
simple methodology on stockpile destruction be
of benefit to others, please contact me
.Thailand stands ready to share its experience in order to assist
those States Parties.
Thank you very much
Maj. Gen. Gitti Suksomstarn
Director General of TMAC
15 May 2003