Thai-Cambodian border tensions easing, say ministers

Bangkok Post

a day ago

Tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border are starting to ease and Thailand expects Cambodia to withdraw forces from the border and return to bilateral talks, say Thai ministers.
Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said on Thursday that tensions had subsided to a certain extent because there have been no skirmishes, although soldiers and weapons are still stationed close to the border.
The Thai side would like to see the withdrawal of forces to the normal positions they occupied last year because the Thai government is concerned about the safety of local people, Mr Maris said.
Thailand will try to resolve issues with Cambodia bilaterally through official diplomatic channels, he said, adding that the Thai government would not negotiate through social media.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and his father, Hun Sen, have been prolific posters on Facebook and other channels, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says has only exacerbated the situation.
The current dispute erupted after a clash on May 28 between Thai and Cambodian forces over a disputed part of the border in Ubon Ratchathani, in which one Cambodian soldier was killed.
In parliament, Deputy Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit said the measures Thailand had adopted at the border did not place undue pressure on people.
The border was not closed but crossings by people and vehicles have been limited to those who have regular duties related to work, school or trade, he said.
At the Chong Chom crossing in Kap Choeng district of Surin, he noted, the Thai gate was open but the adjacent Cambodian border gate was closed.
'The existing pressures are not meant for economic effect but are intended to put pressure on criminal gangs. … Now scams have dropped noticeably,' he said, referring to the heavy concentration of criminal activity in Cambodian border towns such as Poipet.
Gen Nattaphon also said that Cambodian members of the Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) had resumed talks with their Thai counterparts and that was a positive sign. Earlier, they refused to talk and insisted only on bringing border issues to the International Court of Justice, which Thailand has opposed.
Thai and Cambodian officials on the JBC are now considering conditions for further negotiations, said Gen Nattaphon, who is also acting as defence minister because the position was left vacant during the recent cabinet reshuffle.
If the JBC resumes its meetings, he said, Thailand will propose that forces return to their normal positions to prevent untoward incidents and that intensified border controls be lifted.