Latest news with #Nattaphon Narkphanit
Times of Oman
3 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Cambodia, Thailand agree to ceasefire with ASEAN as observers
Kuala Lumpur: Cambodia and Thailand agreed to allow the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to observe the ceasefire the two countries reached late last month to end fighting in a disputed border area, local media reported. Malaysian state media Bernama said that an interim observer team comprising defence attaches from ASEAN countries, led by a Malaysian attache, will be assigned on both sides of the Thai-Cambodian border to monitor the ceasefire agreement on July 28. Top officials of Thailand and Cambodia met on Thursday in Malaysia, the current ASEAN chair. Thailand's Acting Minister of Defence Nattaphon Narkphanit met with his Cambodian counterpart Tea Seiha and concluded four days of talks. Both continued to accuse each other of cross-border attacks, even after their leaders agreed to a cease-fire ending five days of fighting that began on July 24 and left 32 dead in Thailand and at least 13 in Cambodia. The two countries had been quarrelling for decades over their 817km (508-mile) undemarcated land border with the recent dispute breaking out after a landmine explosion on the border injured five Thai soldiers last month, with the resulting fighting killing at least 43 people. Both sides have agreed to a ceasefire involving all types of weapons and any form of attacks on civilians and military objectives. All sides must avoid unprovoked firing towards the other side's positions or troop The two countries resolved to maintain regular communications between all army areas and military regions along the border of both sides and strive to solve all issues peacefully. They also agreed to convene the Regional Border Committee (RBC) Meeting within two weeks after the Extraordinary GBC Meeting on August 7, 2025. The United States welcomed the developments as an "important step forward in solidifying the ceasefire arrangement and establishing the ASEAN observation mechanism", said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement on Thursday. The July 28 ceasefire followed economic pressure from US President Donald Trump, who had warned the nations that he would not conclude trade deals with them if the fighting persisted. Washington subsequently lowered tariffs on goods from the two countries from 36 percent to 19 percent at the beginning of this month, Al Jazeera said.
CNA
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Thailand, Cambodia agree to comply with international law on captured soldiers after ‘positive' talks in KL
KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to comply with international humanitarian law in treating each other's captured soldiers, and will facilitate the 'dignified and timely return' of deceased individuals. The two Southeast Asian countries, which agreed to a ceasefire on Jul 28 in their border dispute, met in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday (Aug 7) for an extraordinary general border committee meeting. Both sides also agreed that in the event of an armed conflict, whether intentional or unintentional, they would promptly consult at the local level through existing bilateral mechanisms to prevent the situation from escalating along the entire border. In a joint statement, Thailand and Cambodia said that the meeting 'was held in a constructive and positive atmosphere, resulting in meaningful outcomes'. 'Both sides reaffirmed their steadfast commitment to the full and effective implementation of the terms of the ceasefire agreed upon.' The meeting was co-chaired by Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and National Defence Minister, General Tea Seiha, and Thailand's Acting Defence Minister, General (Ret) Nattaphon Narkphanit. Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution observed the meeting along with representatives from the United States and China. Eighteen Cambodian soldiers are still being held by the Royal Thai Army as of Monday (Aug 4). Thailand had on Aug 1 returned two wounded Cambodian soldiers. The number of Thai soldiers captured by Cambodia is unclear. On Thursday, both countries also agreed to allow the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to act as observers of the ceasefire, Thailand's Acting Minister of Defence Nattaphon said. Pending an ASEAN observer team led by Malaysia as agreed on Jul 28, interim teams made up of defence attaches of ASEAN members accredited to Cambodia or Thailand will be established separately in each country. After five days of fighting last month that resulted in at least 38 people killed and the displacement of over 300,000 people on both sides, the two countries agreed to halt their deadliest conflict in more than a decade, with a ceasefire taking place at the stroke of midnight on Jul 29.
Bloomberg
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Thailand Seeks Neutral Venue for Border Talks With Cambodia
Thailand has requested Cambodia to move a bilateral meeting of senior security officials next week — considered crucial to de-escalating border tensions following deadly clashes — from Phnom Penh to a neutral location. Bangkok has proposed shifting the Aug. 4 General Border Committee meeting, agreed by the leaders of the two countries, to a city in Malaysia. The request was made by Thailand's Acting Defense Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit, in a letter dated July 31, to his Cambodian counterpart, citing 'the sensitive nature of the situation.'
