Talks between Thai and Cambodian armies end in deadlock

Thailand and Cambodia have failed to make any headway on the joint management of the common border area in Sa Kaeo province after two days of talks between the secretariats of the Regional Border Committee (RBC), held at the permanent border checkpoint in the Cambodian border town of Poipet on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The First Army Region represented Thailand, while the Cambodian side was represented by the 5th regional army. The RBC meetings are an integral part of the ‘Joint Statement on Peace’ agreed by Thailand and Cambodia.

A Thai army source said that no agreement would be signed today after the respective RBC secretariats failed to make any progress on the issue of the management of the border area in Sa Kaeo province. They did, however, agree to meet again on a date yet to be determined.

Both Thailand and Cambodia have been engaged in a prolonged ownership dispute over land in Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew in Khok Sung district of Sa Kaeo and Ban Ta Kuan in Ta Phraya district. The three villages were scenes of fierce fighting between Thai and Cambodian forces last December.