Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing, well we are discussing the Border situation along the Thai-Cambodian border. I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Bangkok Post, bangkokpost.com, the article is titled: Thai-Cambodian border crossings in Sa Kaeo to remain shut. So this is in the aftermath of the recently signed ceasefire agreement, declaration; the whole parameters of the thing have been a little bit murky in terms of what it is called. It is my understanding it is being referred to by the Thais as something akin to a peace declaration. That being said, it's not a foregone conclusion exactly what's going to happen along the borders.

Let me just get into this. Quoting directly: "The First Army region dismissed reports which claimed border checkpoints in Sa Kaeo will reopen on November 1, saying crossings in the province will remain closed until an order to the contrary is issued." Now the Bangkok Post does a really good job of making this clear from the get-go in this article. I urge those who are watching this video, go check out that article by Bangkok Post, but I think it's important to point this out and get into - I am not trying to be overly semantic with the wording here, but it's important to understand what is happening. Yes, there has been this signed agreement between Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia as well as Anutin Charnvirakul, and it seems that that is setting in motion a sort of decompression of tensions in this region, along the Thai-Khmer border hinterland; we will call it that. Exactly the ramifications of this remain to be seen. 

Now some presumptions were that “oh that would just mean the borders would immediately reopen”. Now what the First Army Region is saying, again quoting from Bangkok Post, "saying crossings in the province will remain closed until an order to the contrary is issued." I get into the details of what that all means in sort of a practical sense on our paid news service. If you are interested in that, I did a long form video just before making these videos this morning; this one and the ones I'm making contemporaneously with this one, wherein I discussed sort of exactly what the ramifications are - "order to the contrary" - means. But long story short, they have to receive orders from their chain of command before they start changing anything along the border. So that is something to understand just sort of conceptually. And if you are interested in the long-form news service, you can email us, [email protected]. While I am talking my book, I haven't mentioned it in a while, a few videos, Pancake Palace. My better half and I set up a restaurant here in downtown Bangkok; it is American Diner style food including as the name suggests, American breakfast anytime. Pancake Palace, we'd love to see you there; we will throw some photos up. We have got again American Diner style food: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, buffalo wings, chilli bowls as well as again breakfast anytime. You can go to the links in the description below if you want to get to us. We have got a Google maps link as well as a link on Grab that you can get to us - we would love to see you over at Pancake Palace. 

Now quoting further: "In a statement issued on Monday, the First Army said online reports which claimed that the troops have been instructed to prepare for the reopening of the permanent border crossing at Ban Khao Din in Khlong Hat District were false. Quote: "The First Army Region confirms that no directive has been given to reopen the Thai-Cambodian Border in areas under the responsibility of the Burapa Task force in Sa Kaeo," the statement said." And what you need to understand is, that is just a statement of fact. "Hey, we haven't received any orders yet; our chain of command, we haven't changed anything." So it just is what it is. It is sort of a statement of fact. This is where the situation stands right now legally speaking with regard to our standing, is what the First Army Region is saying, I think in that statement; it’s all encapsulated in that. 

Again, it remains to be seen exactly what's going to be happening as a practical matter on the Thai-Cambodian border. This is rather important especially in expat land because it does factor into people's analysis and calculation when they are thinking of things like Border Runs in Thailand and the ability to get to a border and use it to cross in, cross out to maintain their visa status. So it is something we will certainly be keeping people updated on this channel with as the situation evolves.