JBC meeting in Phnom Penh begins late after closed-door talks

Phnom Penh - The 6th meeting of the Cambodia–Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) on land demarcation officially began at 11.40am, nearly two hours behind schedule, due to a last-minute closed-door meeting between the heads of both delegations.

The meeting, the first in 12 years, was originally scheduled for 10am. but was delayed as Lam Chea, minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Border Affairs, met privately with Prasas Prasasvinitchai, chief of the Thai delegation.

Both sides declined to reveal the outcome of their discussion, while expressing optimism for productive talks.

However the officials of both countries were seen leaving the room twenty minutes later to have lunch.

Ahead of the meeting, the Cambodian government announced that disputes concerning the Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Tauch, and Ta Krabei temples in the Mom Bei area would be excluded from the agenda.

Cambodia has opted to bring these issues before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), while Thailand continues to push for bilateral dialogue.