Cambodian PM Expresses Optimism Ahead of Border Talks With Thailand

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Oct.08, 2015) — Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet said he is hopeful that an upcoming meeting with Thai officials will help ease tensions and advance a peaceful resolution to ongoing border disputes.

In a statement posted to his official Facebook page, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet said he expects the next Special General Border Committee (GBC) meeting to be “a positive sign for peacefully resolving” recent issues along the Cambodia-Thailand border.

He cited the agreed minutes from the first Special GBC meeting, held Sept. 10 in Koh Kong province, which were signed by Cambodian Defense Minister Gen. Tea Seiha and Thai Acting Defense Minister Gen. Nattaphon Narkphanit.

Under the agreement, both sides recognized the Joint Border Committee (JBC) as the appropriate mechanism to address unresolved border demarcation issues, particularly incidents near Phum Chouk Chey village in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province and Nong Chan village in Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province.

The two countries agreed to prioritize the issue at the next JBC meeting and instructed their respective Regional Border Committees to manage the matter in line with JBC discussions.

A JBC meeting scheduled for September was postponed due to changes in Thailand’s committee composition. Cambodian officials said they hope talks will resume soon and reaffirmed their commitment to a diplomatic and peaceful solution.