Latest news with #JointBoundaryCommission
Mint
5 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Thailand Seeks More Talks With Cambodia as Border Row Lingers
(Bloomberg) -- Thailand called for more bilateral talks with Cambodia to resolve a simmering border dispute after Phnom Penh threatened to permanently shut land crossings between the two countries and halt Thai imports. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Monday she's proposed to Cambodian leader Hun Manet that more military level talks be convened to find ways to ease the border tension. A meeting of Thai and Cambodian officials over the weekend did not discuss the dispute, with the two sides struggling to arrive at any decision on how to resolve their differences. The so-called Joint Boundary Commission will next meet in September, Thailand's Foreign Ministry said Sunday. Tensions between the two Southeast Asian nations heightened following an exchange of gunfire between troops on May 28 in the disputed Chong Bok border area, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier. Both countries have built-up troops along the border and shortened the operational hours of several land crossings that act as vital trade links. Cambodia has requested the International Court of Justice in The Hague intervene to resolve the border disputes it has with Thailand. Bangkok has said it does not recognize the organization's jurisdiction. On Monday, former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen called for a complete shutdown of the border crossings and suspension of Thai goods imports if Bangkok didn't fully lift the restrictions of cross-border movements. Hun Sen, who is Hun Manet's father, has taken to social media to attack Thailand's stance even as bilateral talks were underway. Last week, Hun Manet reportedly instructed officials to cut Internet and electricity connections with Thailand. The two countries have a history of clashes over land disputes but have largely maintained cordial relations since a deadly conflict in 2011 left dozens dead. Paetongtarn, who chaired a meeting of senior Thai ministers and military officials on Monday, slammed Cambodia for 'unprofessional communications,' saying such messaging via social media, have caused 'chaos' and negatively impacted both countries. The meeting agreed to set up a panel headed by the deputy minister of defense to monitor the border situation, she told reporters. The Thai premier said cross-border curbs were necessitated by the presence of long-range weapons on the Cambodian side. Phnom Penh's threat to shut the borders will affect people from both countries, she added. Paetongtarn urged Thais to stand behind the government and the military, which she said are in complete agreement regarding strategy and communicate regularly. 'We're not fighting among ourselves. We're protecting our sovereignty and our messages show that we're united,' she said. 'We will not tolerate being bullied, accused or threatened. We're a nation with pride and strength.' More stories like this are available on
Kuwait Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Thailand and Cambodia seek to ease simmering border tensions
Thailand and Cambodia seek to ease simmering border tensions Troops mobilized at border after deadly skirmish BANGKOK: Thai and Cambodian officials met on Saturday to try to ease tensions amid fears of military clashes after a long-running territorial dispute reignited, leading both countries to mobilize troops on the border. The two neighbors share an 820-km land border, parts of which are undemarcated and include ancient temples that both sides have contested for decades. The latest standoff followed a brief skirmish on May 28 that left a Cambodian soldier dead. 'The Thai government hopes to use the platform to resolve the situation peacefully,' Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted about the meeting on her Facebook page on Friday. The row comes at a challenging time for Thailand's government, which is losing popularity in prolonged struggle to spur economic growth. Paetongtarn's administration is under pressure to take a tougher stand on Cambodia, accompanied by initially strong rhetoric from the Thai military. Despite both countries pledging dialogue to handle the issue and to calm nationalist fervor, Bangkok has threatened to close the border and cut off electricity supplies to its neighbor. Phnom Penh announced it would cease buying Thai electric power, internet bandwidth and produce. It has also ordered local television stations not to screen Thai films. Resolution unlikely A resolution this weekend at the Joint Boundary Commission meeting in Phnom Penh is not expected, and it was unclear when the outcome would be announced. Cambodia is determined to file a case at the International Court of Justice to determine jurisdiction over four disputed areas, while Thailand insists on a bilateral solution. 'Cambodia wants to settle the disputes at the ICJ, something that Thailand won't accept,' said Dulyapak Preecharush, a Southeast Asian studies expert at Thammasat University in Bangkok. 'So there's not much left to discuss at JBC apart from maintaining an atmosphere for further dialogue.' Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Friday his country would not discuss the four contested areas at the boundary commission, adding the government would send an official letter to the ICJ on Sunday on its plan to file the case. Influential former strongman premier Hun Sen, Hun Manet's father, has criticized Thailand's military for restricting border crossings and has accused generals and Thai nationalists of fanning the tensions. 'Only extremist groups and some military factions are behind these issues with Cambodia because, as usual, the Thai government is unable to control its military the way our country can,' he said late on Thursday. — Reuters
Barnama
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
No Major Outcome On First Day Cambodia-Thai Border Talks
Minister in Charge of the State Secretariat of Border Affairs of Cambodia Lam Chea (right) and Thai Border Affairs Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Prasas Prasasvinitchai. Photo credit: Agence Kampuchea Presse The sixth Joint Boundary Commission meeting between Cambodia and Thailand taking place in Phnom Penh on Saturday. Photo 1 caption: The sixth Joint Boundary Commission meeting between Cambodia and Thailand taking place in Phnom Penh on Saturday. Photo credit: Agence Kampuchea Presse By Vijian Paramasivam PHNOM PENH, June 14 (Bernama) -- The first round of the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Boundary (JBC) meeting concluded in Phnom Penh without any breakthrough. Both parties are expected to resume the negotiations of the sixth commission meeting on Sunday morning, according to the state media Agence Kampuchea Presse. bootstrap slideshow 'JBC meeting in Phnom Penh was temporarily closed at almost 4 pm and with both sides resuming the meeting on June 15, 2025,' said the state media. The ongoing JBC meeting is the first in 12 years. The closed-door dialogue was chaired by Lam Chea, Minister in charge of the Secretariat of State for Border Affairs of Cambodia. The Thai delegation was led by Prasas Prasasvinitchai, an adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in charge of border affairs. This was the first formal diplomatic dialogue since tensions erupted on May 28, when Cambodian and Thai troops clashed briefly near Cambodia's northern Preah Vihear province area. A 48-year-old Cambodian sergeant was killed in the incident. Both neighbours have been engaged in a decades-long dispute over their undemarcated 817-kilometre land border.
Al Jazeera
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Thailand says ‘progress made' in border dispute talks with Cambodia
Thailand says talks with neighbouring Cambodia had 'made progress' in resolving a long-running border dispute that last month devolved into clashes, leading both countries to mobilise troops on the border. A Thai delegation led by foreign ministry adviser Prasas Prasasvinitchai and a Cambodian contingent headed by Lam Chea, minister of state in charge of the Secretariat of Border Affairs, met on Saturday in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh to try to resolve the spat. The meeting came after troops from the two countries exchanged fire last month in an area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet, with one Cambodian soldier killed. Thailand's foreign ministry said the Joint Boundary Commission meeting had 'made progress in building mutual understanding' between the two countries. Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura said in a news conference that 'diplomatic dialogue remains the most effective way forward', adding that talks would go into Sunday. A resolution is not expected this weekend and it was unclear when the outcome would be announced. The Thai and Cambodian armies both said they had acted in self-defence during the exchange of fire on May 28, but agreed to reposition their soldiers to avoid future confrontations. In recent days, Thailand has tightened border controls with Cambodia, which in turn has asked its troops to stay on 'full alert'. Despite both countries pledging dialogue to handle the issue and calm nationalist fervour, Bangkok has threatened to close the border and cut off electricity supplies to its neighbour. Phnom Penh announced it would cease buying Thai electric power, internet bandwidth and produce. It has also ordered local television stations not to screen Thai films. The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates to the drawing of the 820-km (510-mile) frontier, largely done during the French occupation of Indo-China from 1887 to 1954. Parts of the land border are undemarcated and include ancient temples that both sides have contested for decades. The region has seen sporadic violence since 2008, resulting in at least 28 deaths. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced earlier this month that Cambodia would file a complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over four disputed border areas, including the site of the latest clash. Thailand, however, has insisted on a bilateral solution. Hun Manet said in a Facebook post on Friday that the four areas and the border restrictions would not be discussed at Saturday's talks, adding the government would send an official letter to the ICJ on Sunday on its plan to file the case. 'Cambodia awaits Thailand to clarify its official position at [Saturday's] meeting on whether Thailand will join Cambodia in referring the four areas to the ICJ,' he said. Influential former strongman premier Hun Sen, Hun Manet's father, has criticised Thailand's military for restricting border crossings and has accused generals and Thai nationalists of fanning the tensions. 'Only extremist groups and some military factions are behind these issues with Cambodia because, as usual, the Thai government is unable to control its military the way our country can,' he said late on Thursday. The ICJ ruled in 2013 that a disputed area next to Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, but Thailand says it does not accept the ICJ's jurisdiction.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thailand and Cambodia seek to ease simmering border tensions
By Panu Wongcha-um and Chantha Lach BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH (Reuters) -Thai and Cambodian officials met on Saturday to try to ease tensions amid fears of military clashes after a long-running territorial dispute reignited, leading both countries to mobilise troops on the border. The two neighbours share an 820-km (510-mile) land border, parts of which are undemarcated and include ancient temples that both sides have contested for decades. The latest standoff followed a brief skirmish on May 28 that left a Cambodian soldier dead. "The Thai government hopes to use the platform to resolve the situation peacefully," Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted about the meeting on her Facebook page on Friday. The row comes at a challenging time for Thailand's government, which is losing popularity in prolonged struggle to spur economic growth. Paetongtarn's administration is under pressure to take a tougher stand on Cambodia, accompanied by initially strong rhetoric from the Thai military. Despite both countries pledging dialogue to handle the issue and to calm nationalist fervour, Bangkok has threatened to close the border and cut off electricity supplies to its neighbour. Phnom Penh announced it would cease buying Thai electric power, internet bandwidth and produce. It has also ordered local television stations not to screen Thai films. RESOLUTION UNLIKELY A resolution this weekend at the Joint Boundary Commission meeting in Phnom Penh is not expected, and it was unclear when the outcome would be announced. Cambodia is determined to file a case at the International Court of Justice to determine jurisdiction over four disputed areas, while Thailand insists on a bilateral solution. "Cambodia wants to settle the disputes at the ICJ, something that Thailand won't accept," said Dulyapak Preecharush, a Southeast Asian studies expert at Thammasat University in Bangkok. "So there's not much left to discuss at JBC apart from maintaining an atmosphere for further dialogue." Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Friday his country would not discuss the four contested areas at the boundary commission, adding the government would send an official letter to the ICJ on Sunday on its plan to file the case. Influential former strongman premier Hun Sen, Hun Manet's father, has criticised Thailand's military for restricting border crossings and has accused generals and Thai nationalists of fanning the tensions. "Only extremist groups and some military factions are behind these issues with Cambodia because, as usual, the Thai government is unable to control its military the way our country can," he said late on Thursday.
