ASEAN observer group inspects Cambodia-Thailand border after ceasefire

Phnom Penh: An ASEAN interim observer group has visited conflict-hit areas along the Cambodia-Thailand border to monitor the recently agreed ceasefire, Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata said on Saturday.

The group included Malaysia’s military attaché, as Malaysia is the current ASEAN chair, along with assistant military attachés from Vietnam and the Philippines.

“Cambodia stands ready to cooperate with the observation group led by Malaysia to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire,” Socheata said.

Cambodia has welcomed Thailand’s proposal to hold border talks in Malaysia next week. “We are confident that this meeting will be constructive and yield fruitful outcomes,” Socheata said, referring to the planned General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

Thailand’s Deputy Defense Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit has officially accepted Cambodia’s invitation for the special GBC meeting and stressed a joint commitment to easing tensions and resolving border issues peacefully, according to Thailand’s Defense Ministry, reported Xinhua news agency.

Armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers erupted on 24 July along the disputed border. Both countries agreed to a ceasefire on 28 July, effective from midnight the same day.

Observation teams were deployed on Wednesday to monitor the truce. Malaysia, as ASEAN chair, sent a high-level delegation led by its Chief of Defense Forces, General Datuk Haji Mohd Nizam Bin Haji Jaffar, to Cambodia on Tuesday. Two observation teams will operate separately, one based in Cambodia and the other in Thailand, both led by Malaysian military attachés.