Thailand, Cambodia Reposition Troops to Ease Border Tensions
BANGKOK: Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday reached an agreement to reposition their troops in a disputed border area where a Cambodian soldier was killed last month in a military clash, both sides announced.
There has been sporadic violence on the Thai-Cambodia frontier since 2008, resulting in at least 28 deaths.
A Cambodian soldier was killed in the most recent outbreak of clashes on May 28 in an area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet.
Following disputes in recent days over border controls and troops, the two sides met Sunday and agreed to reposition their soldiers.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said she had spoken to the Cambodian government and talks had reached a 'positive conclusion'.
'Both parties have agreed to jointly adjust military forces at points of conflict to reduce the atmosphere of confrontation,' she wrote on X.
Further discussions were due on June 14, the prime minister added.
Cambodia's defence ministry said the two militaries met and 'decided to adjust forces of both sides, to return to appropriate positions to reduce confrontations'.
Influential former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen said adjusting forces through 'mutual understanding' was 'essential to avoid large-scale violent clashes'.
Thailand and Cambodia have long been at odds over their more than 800-kilometre-long (500-mile) border, which was largely drawn during the French occupation of Indochina.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said Monday the kingdom would file a complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the border dispute.
The ICJ ruled in 2013 that the disputed area belonged to Cambodia, but Thailand says it does not accept the ICJ's jurisdiction.
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