JBC on demarcation of land boundaries to meet in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh will host a Joint Commission on the Demarcation of Land Boundaries (JBC) meeting with Thailand on June 14, as both countries seek ways to deescalate the ongoing border dispute.

The meeting was agreed upon during bilateral talks in Tokyo on May 30, between the Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers, following a border clash that resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier.

According to the Khmer Times, Chum Sounry, spokesperson for Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that both ministers agreed to uphold the spirit of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the survey and demarcation of the Cambodia–Thailand land boundary.

They also agreed to utilise all existing mechanisms, especially by expediting the technical meetings of the JBC, to address border-related issues, particularly in areas where recent incidents have occurred.

The Thai side has already been informed of the decision and Cambodia remains committed to resolving border issues through peaceful means, guided by technical mechanisms and international law, the spokesperson said.

Following the May 28 fatal clash, both countries’ army commanders-in-chief met and agreed to withdraw troops from the disputed area, near Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province, pending negotiations.

Nonetheless, Cambodian strongman and former prime minister Hun Sen, along with his son, current prime minister Hun Manet, echoed calls for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to consider the dispute.