(Phnom Penh): Cambodia called on Thailand to halt road construction, land clearing, geographical expansion, and the installation of barbed wire in undemarcated and disputed border areas during an informal meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand Regional Border Committee (RBC) Secretariat on Wednesday (Jul. 15).
The meeting was held at 11:00 a.m. at the Choam-Sangam International Border Checkpoint in Anlong Veng District, Oddar Meanchey Province. The Cambodian delegation was led by Brigadier General Nith Narong, head of the Cambodian RBC Secretariat, while the Thai delegation was headed by Major General Kampanat Waphansu, chief of the Thai RBC Secretariat, according to Ministry of National Defence Spokesperson Lieutenant General Maly Socheata.
The Cambodian side welcomed the informal coordination meeting between the two secretariats, which is held periodically to proactively and peacefully seek solutions to various issues in a timely manner, aiming to prevent unnecessary misunderstandings and ease tensions along the border.
During the meeting, the Cambodian side demanded that the Thai side cease activities such as land clearing for road construction, geographical expansion, and the laying of barbed wire in areas within Cambodian sovereign territory and areas not yet clearly demarcated.
Cambodia also emphasized the urgent necessity to commence the demarcation work of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) as soon as possible, in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and the Joint Statement dated 17 December 2025.
Regarding the incidents of shooting and explosions, the Cambodian side requested the most diligent verification to prevent any misunderstanding and called for the implementation of concrete measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur and to avoid unnecessary escalation of tension.
The Cambodian delegation also requested that the Thai side collaborate in educating and enforcing discipline among its frontline forces to prevent any provocative actions, such as firing weapons, laying barbed wire, and using inappropriate language.
Additionally, the Cambodian side underscored the importance of jointly preventing the spread of fake news and disinformation, particularly content intended to incite hatred and resentment. This effort aims to foster mutual trust and create a favourable environment for peaceful resolution.
Cambodia reaffirmed its commitment to fully implementing the outcomes of the 3rd Special Meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) dated 27 December 2025; the Joint Declaration on the Cambodia-Thailand Peace Agreement dated 26 October 2025; and other relevant agreements.
These commitments aim to pursue a peaceful, fair, and sustainable solution in accordance with international law, as well as existing treaties and agreements between the two nations.
=FRESH NEWS
