Cambodia-Thailand Military Engage In Constructive Talks To Ease Border Tensions

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- Cambodia and Thailand's top military officers are stepping up efforts to strengthen the border ceasefire following last month’s five-day armed confrontation. 

At an Extraordinary Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting held Monday, both parties agreed to maintain regular communication between military regions and army areas to avoid any military stand-off in the future. 

“This Extraordinary RBC Meeting concluded with Cambodia and Thailand reiterating their shared resolve to work together towards restoring normalcy along the border, advancing the spirit of good neighbourliness, and promoting peace, stability, and prosperity for the peoples of both countries,” the Royal Cambodian Army said in a press statement after the conclusion of the talks. 

The meeting was held in Pailin province of Cambodia. A similar RBC meeting was held in Trat Province in Thailand on Friday.

Cambodia and Thailand are engaging in a raft of negotiations to bring normalcy to the border areas shared by both nations after military hostilities on July 24. 

Today’s RBC meeting was between the Military Region 5 of Cambodia and the Chanthaburi-Trat Border Defence Command of Thailand.

The Cambodian delegation was led by Lieutenant General Ek Sam Aun, Commander of the 5 Military Region and Co-Chairman of the extraordinary RBC meeting. 

Vice Admiral Apichat Sapprasert, Commander of the Chanthaburi and Trat Border Defence Command, and Co-Chairman of the extraordinary RBC Meeting, led the Thai delegation. 

Simmering tensions between Cambodia and Thailand over territories that did not have clear boundary demarcations boiled over into military conflict, which observers described as the worst hostility in the last decade. 

After firm diplomatic mediation, initiated by Malaysia as the ASEAN chair, with the support of the US and China, a ceasefire was achieved in Putrajaya on July 28.

Both parties also reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the decisions of the Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting between Cambodia and Thailand, held in Kuala Lumpur on August 7.

Today’s agenda also touched on the same issues discussed in Friday’s meeting, such as online scams, drug trafficking, human trafficking, weapons trafficking and other cross-border crimes.

The two sides also agreed to convene the next RBC meeting within one month, with Thailand as the host.

-- BERNAMA