Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has expressed confidence that Thailand and Cambodia will be able to sign a joint declaration, outlining relations between the neighboring countries, during the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia between October 25 and 28.
He said that there has been progress at the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting, regarding the four pre-conditions set by Thailand, and at the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting, regarding the management of the areas in Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew in Khon Sung district of Sa Kaeo province, which are occupied by Cambodian encroachers.
Thailand’s four preconditions include the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from border areas, cooperation in demining efforts, cooperation in the suppression of transnational scam networks in Cambodia and management of the disputed land in Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew villages.
Sihasak said that, if the conclusions of GBC and JBC talks meet Thailand’s four preconditions, Thai and Cambodian prime ministers will be able to sign a joint declaration, an event to be witnessed by US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as well as other ASEAN leaders.
After the signing, he said that both Thailand and Cambodia will implement the action plan.
As for the disputed territory at Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew, he said the JBC will discuss the detail of how the problem can be resolved peacefully.
Meanwhile, the two-day JBC meeting in Chanthaburi province, over the disputed territory at Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew villages, concluded yesterday.
Former Thai ambassador to Cambodia, Prasart Prasasvinitchai, the head of the Thai delegation, said yesterday that both sides agreed to survey the two border villages and to mark the areas claimed by both sides, adding that the survey may take about six weeks because some of the areas are still mined.
He said that the building of a border fence, to prevent smuggling, was not discussed at the JBC meeting, because the Cambodian delegation claimed it had no authority to do so.
Benjamin Sukanjanajtee, director-general of the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs, said that the two countries have, however, agreed to form a Joint Technical Subcommittee to replace 15 damaged or missing border markers and to amend the Terms of Reference 2003 regarding orthophoto maps, in order to introduce light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology in aerial mapping.
Regarding the border demarcation, from border markers KM42 through 47 in Ban Nong Ya Kaew and Ban Nong Chan, both sides agreed to conduct a survey and install temporary border markers, said Benjamin, adding that this will not affect the territorial claims of either country, in accordance with international law.
The two sides also agreed to ensure safety for the demining teams. The next JBC meeting will be held in the first week of January in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
