Cambodia and Thailand Begin Border Talks Following Recent Tensions
PHNOM PENH, June 15 – Cambodia and Thailand held a Joint Border Commission (JBC) meeting in Phnom Penh on Saturday to discuss ongoing border issues following a recent military clash between the two nations.
The meeting was co-chaired by Lam Chea, Minister in charge of Cambodia’s State Secretariat for Border Affairs, and Prasas Prasasvinitchai, former Thai Ambassador to Cambodia and current adviser on border affairs to Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Journalists were allowed to capture photos and videos of the opening session for a few minutes before being asked to leave the conference room for closed-door discussions.
The meeting comes in the wake of a brief military confrontation on May 28 in the Mom Bei area, also known as the Emerald Triangle, a disputed border zone shared by Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. The incident resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier.
In a Facebook post on Friday night, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet confirmed that this JBC meeting is the first held in 12 years, marking a critical step toward addressing unresolved tensions.
During the session, Cambodia plans to formally propose that Thailand agree to bring four disputed border areas — Mom Bei, Ta Moan Thom Temple, Ta Moan Tauch Temple, and Ta Krabei Temple — to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague for arbitration.
“I want to assure the people that even if Thailand refuses or remains silent, Cambodia will proceed unilaterally,” said Hun Manet. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will submit an official letter to the ICJ on Sunday, June 15, 2025, regarding the dispute over these four areas,” he added.
— BERNAMA