Thailand and Cambodia begin meeting in Malaysia to resolve border issue
Thai and Cambodian delegations have begun a meeting of the Joint Border Committee (GBC) in Malaysia, which is expected to last four days.
According to The Nation, a secretariat-level meeting between representatives of Thailand and Cambodia began in Malaysia on August 4, to discuss specifics for the GBC meetings taking place over the next four days.
The preliminary meetings will last three days, with the final session set for August 7, Thai officials said. The final session will be attended by the defense ministers of Thailand and Cambodia, along with observers from the United States and China. The parties are also expected to discuss the possibility of establishing a broader ASEAN monitoring mechanism for the border area.
"The GBC meeting is being closely watched by Bangkok and Phnom Penh, as well as the international community. All sides hope that the disagreements surrounding the border issue will be able to end. However, it is still unclear what the consequences may be if the negotiation process does not go smoothly," The Nation commented.
According to the Khmer Times, although the ceasefire officially took effect on July 29, many residents on the Cambodian-Thai border are still having to evacuate due to concerns that clashes could flare up again.
On August 4, neither country recorded any clashes, but the Cambodian Ministry of Defense condemned Thailand's installation of barbed wire fences in the disputed area.
"Thailand has placed barbed wire and brought some vehicles to the An Ses area, despite objections from the Cambodian military. This is a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, which could threaten regional stability," said Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesman Maly Socheata.
An Ses (called Chong An Ma in Thailand) is a disputed border area between Thailand and Cambodia, with both sides claiming sovereignty over the land.