Latest news with #JointBoundaryCommittee
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Thailand asks military to be patient at Thai-Cambodian border
BANGKOK: Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, Commander of the 2nd Army Region, on Monday (June 2) acknowledged that the government had requested the military to remain patient regarding the Thai-Cambodian border situation, following a buildup of Cambodian forces and heavy weaponry in the Chong Bok area, Ubon Ratchathani Province. This area is claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia, with Thai military officials reporting incursions into Thai territory. Boonsin stated that the Thai government has asked the military to exercise restraint despite growing concerns over these developments. He confirmed that, while the military supports the government's decision to avoid escalating tensions, the possibility of closing the border will be proposed if the situation becomes too untrustworthy. 'We received instructions from the government to exercise patience,' he said. 'It is our policy to maintain composure and follow due process. We cannot act impulsively or make decisions on our own. We will endure as long as possible, following the proper steps. Currently, we are following the government's directives, and we are in the process of holding a Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) meeting to resolve the issue.' Regarding the potential closure of the Thai-Cambodian border as a measure to put pressure on Cambodia, Boonsin clarified that while the military has not yet made a final decision, it remains one option on the table. The military is concerned that the closure could harm local communities along the border, which is why they are waiting for further developments. If the situation becomes untrustworthy, the military will propose closing the border to the government. 'I acknowledge that the government has indeed requested us to remain patient,' Boonsin said. 'As for the border closure, it is only one of the measures we are considering. If the situation becomes untenable, we will propose this to the government.' Boonsin also mentioned that, in the past few days, Thai citizens have continued to closely follow the situation at the Thai-Cambodian border. Many have shown their support by sending supplies and messages of encouragement to the Thai military. 'We thank all Thai people, from every background, ethnicity, and religion, who care about our sovereignty and the border issue,' he said. 'It is our duty, as the military, to protect our borders and uphold sovereignty, following the official maps and guidelines with the utmost rigour. We will not let any land be lost. Please trust in our soldiers; we will do our best to fulfill our duties." - The Nation/ANN
NHK
2 days ago
- General
- NHK
Thailand to hold talks with Cambodia on border control
Thailand's defense chief says his country is determined to cool tensions with Cambodia quickly after their military clash last week. The countries' armed forces exchanged fire briefly in a contested border area. The incident left one Cambodian soldier dead. Both sides have already withdrawn their forces from the site of the incident. Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai spoke to NHK on Sunday on the sidelines of the Shangri-La security forum. He said representatives of the two countries will soon hold a meeting of the Joint Boundary Committee. "We hope that there will be talks, and we are staying firm on nonconfrontation principles and pushing for a peaceful resolution between neighbors," he said. Meanwhile, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet posted a message on social media suggesting both sides bring their border disputes to the International Court of Justice.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Thai, Cambodian army chiefs meet over border clash
Thailand's military said on Thursday it had agreed to ease border tensions with Cambodia after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a frontier clash. Military clashes between the Southeast Asian neighbours erupted in 2008 and have led to several years of sporadic violence, resulting in at least 28 deaths. Commmander General Pana Klaewplodthuk met with his Cambodian counterpart and both sides agreed to move troops away from the area, said Thai army spokesman Winthai Suvaree in a statement. He added that a Joint Boundary Committee would meet in two weeks' time to "solve the problem of the border conflict". A Cambodian soldier was killed on Wednesday during an exchange of gunfire with the Thai army at the border, a Cambodian army spokesman said. His death -- a rare fatality along the long-sensitive frontier -- came after Cambodian and Thai leaders attended a Southeast Asian summit where the regional ASEAN grouping vowed greater cooperation. Thailand's military said Wednesday that its soldiers fired in response to gunshots from Cambodia's border force. The exchange lasted around 10 minutes before the Cambodians requested a ceasefire, the Thai military said. Cambodian Royal Army spokesman Mao Phalla confirmed the clash on Wednesday, but said Thai soldiers had attacked Cambodian troops who were on border patrol duty in northern Preah Vihear province. "Our soldier died in the trenches. The Thais came to attack us," Mao Phalla said. Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told journalists Thursday that there had been a "misunderstanding by both sides". - 'Remain calm' - Cambodia and Thailand 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. The 2008 military clashes erupted over a patch of land next to Preah Vihear, a 900-year-old temple near their shared border. This led to several years of sporadic violence before the International Court of Justice ruled the disputed area belonged to Cambodia. In February, Bangkok formally protested to Phnom Penh after a video of women singing a patriotic Khmer song in front of another disputed temple was posted on social media. On Thursday, influential former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen urged calm and a peaceful resolution to the ongoing border issues between the two countries. Hun Sen is the father of current Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and a close ally of ex-Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the father of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Paetongtarn travelled to Cambodia in April for a two-day visit, during which she met Hun Manet to discuss cross-border cooperation on issues such as online scams and air pollution. On Thursday she called for peaceful discussion, saying "both sides should remain calm and discuss to see what we can agree". Hun Manet wrote on Facebook that he hoped the meeting between the two army commanders would "yield positive results". burs-sjc/tc
France 24
6 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Thai, Cambodian army chiefs meet over border clash
Military clashes between the Southeast Asian neighbours erupted in 2008 and have led to several years of sporadic violence, resulting in at least 28 deaths. Commmander General Pana Klaewplodthuk met with his Cambodian counterpart and both sides agreed to move troops away from the area, said Thai army spokesman Winthai Suvaree in a statement. He added that a Joint Boundary Committee would meet in two weeks' time to "solve the problem of the border conflict". A Cambodian soldier was killed on Wednesday during an exchange of gunfire with the Thai army at the border, a Cambodian army spokesman said. His death -- a rare fatality along the long-sensitive frontier -- came after Cambodian and Thai leaders attended a Southeast Asian summit where the regional ASEAN grouping vowed greater cooperation. Thailand's military said Wednesday that its soldiers fired in response to gunshots from Cambodia's border force. The exchange lasted around 10 minutes before the Cambodians requested a ceasefire, the Thai military said. Cambodian Royal Army spokesman Mao Phalla confirmed the clash on Wednesday, but said Thai soldiers had attacked Cambodian troops who were on border patrol duty in northern Preah Vihear province. "Our soldier died in the trenches. The Thais came to attack us," Mao Phalla said. Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told journalists Thursday that there had been a "misunderstanding by both sides". 'Remain calm' Cambodia and Thailand 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. The 2008 military clashes erupted over a patch of land next to Preah Vihear, a 900-year-old temple near their shared border. This led to several years of sporadic violence before the International Court of Justice ruled the disputed area belonged to Cambodia. In February, Bangkok formally protested to Phnom Penh after a video of women singing a patriotic Khmer song in front of another disputed temple was posted on social media. On Thursday, influential former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen urged calm and a peaceful resolution to the ongoing border issues between the two countries. Hun Sen is the father of current Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and a close ally of ex-Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the father of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Paetongtarn travelled to Cambodia in April for a two-day visit, during which she met Hun Manet to discuss cross-border cooperation on issues such as online scams and air pollution. On Thursday she called for peaceful discussion, saying "both sides should remain calm and discuss to see what we can agree". Hun Manet wrote on Facebook that he hoped the meeting between the two army commanders would "yield positive results".
Int'l Business Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Thai, Cambodian Army Chiefs Meet Over Border Clash
Thailand's military said on Thursday it had agreed to ease border tensions with Cambodia after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a frontier clash. Military clashes between the Southeast Asian neighbours erupted in 2008 and have led to several years of sporadic violence, resulting in at least 28 deaths. Commmander General Pana Klaewplodthuk met with his Cambodian counterpart and both sides agreed to move troops away from the area, said Thai army spokesman Winthai Suvaree in a statement. He added that a Joint Boundary Committee would meet in two weeks' time to "solve the problem of the border conflict". A Cambodian soldier was killed on Wednesday during an exchange of gunfire with the Thai army at the border, a Cambodian army spokesman said. His death -- a rare fatality along the long-sensitive frontier -- came after Cambodian and Thai leaders attended a Southeast Asian summit where the regional ASEAN grouping vowed greater cooperation. Thailand's military said Wednesday that its soldiers fired in response to gunshots from Cambodia's border force. The exchange lasted around 10 minutes before the Cambodians requested a ceasefire, the Thai military said. Cambodian Royal Army spokesman Mao Phalla confirmed the clash on Wednesday, but said Thai soldiers had attacked Cambodian troops who were on border patrol duty in northern Preah Vihear province. "Our soldier died in the trenches. The Thais came to attack us," Mao Phalla said. Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told journalists Thursday that there had been a "misunderstanding by both sides". Cambodia and Thailand 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. The 2008 military clashes erupted over a patch of land next to Preah Vihear, a 900-year-old temple near their shared border. This led to several years of sporadic violence before the International Court of Justice ruled the disputed area belonged to Cambodia. In February, Bangkok formally protested to Phnom Penh after a video of women singing a patriotic Khmer song in front of another disputed temple was posted on social media. On Thursday, influential former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen urged calm and a peaceful resolution to the ongoing border issues between the two countries. Hun Sen is the father of current Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and a close ally of ex-Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the father of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Paetongtarn travelled to Cambodia in April for a two-day visit, during which she met Hun Manet to discuss cross-border cooperation on issues such as online scams and air pollution. On Thursday she called for peaceful discussion, saying "both sides should remain calm and discuss to see what we can agree". Hun Manet wrote on Facebook that he hoped the meeting between the two army commanders would "yield positive results". Thailand's military said it had agreed to ease border tensions with Cambodia after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a frontier clash AFP
