Did Thai and Cambodian Armies Meet to Resolve Border Issues?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Peaceful Dialogue: The meeting emphasized resolving border issues through communication.
- Memorandum of Understanding: A formal agreement was signed to outline cooperative efforts.
- Ceasefire Reinforcement: The discussions aimed to reinforce the ceasefire agreement.
- ASEAN Involvement: An observer team from ASEAN monitored the situation.
- Commitment to Stability: Both nations expressed a desire for sustained peace and cooperation.
Bangkok/Phnom Penh, Aug 16 (NationPress) Thailand and Cambodia have announced that military representatives from both nations convened a significant meeting of the Thailand-Cambodia Regional Border Committee (RBC) in Trat province, Thailand, on the same day.
The Thai Navy reported that the commanders of the border defense commands from Chanthaburi and Trat on the Thai side, along with their counterpart from Cambodia's military region 3, participated in discussions aimed at resolving pertinent issues through peaceful dialogue to uphold stability in the border regions and the welfare of the citizens of both nations.
Following the meeting, a memorandum of understanding was signed, as stated by the Thai Navy and reported by the Xinhua news agency.
On Saturday, Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata, the Undersecretary of State and spokesperson for the Cambodian Defence Ministry, indicated that the leaders of the military regions from both countries engaged in crucial talks concerning border matters post-ceasefire.
This meeting underscored the necessity of maintaining ongoing communication between the armed forces from both military regions and the border defense units, with a shared aim to resolve issues amicably and prevent any confrontations, she noted.
Cambodia expressed hope that this meeting would lead to a thorough and effective application of the ceasefire agreement, contributing to the restoration of peace, stability, and normalcy in the border areas, she added.
On Thursday, an ASEAN Interim Observer Team (IOT) toured the Cambodia-Thailand border regions. The team, led by the Malaysian military attache to Cambodia, included military attaches from Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam, and visited villages in Banteay Meanchey province, where Thai forces had erected barbed wire and positioned tires, as well as several border checkpoints, as per Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata's statements.
"Once again, Cambodia urges Thailand to adhere to the ceasefire spirit to achieve a peaceful resolution of the issues based on international law principles, ensuring a fair and impartial outcome that promotes peace and prosperity for both nations and their peoples," Socheata remarked during a press briefing.
Previously, armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces erupted on July 24 along their border. The two ASEAN member states reached a ceasefire agreement on the afternoon of July 28, which took effect at midnight that day.