Cambodia and Thailand meet in Malaysia during fragile truce

Defense officials of Thailand and Cambodia have begun preliminary talks in Malaysia on August 4th, after a ceasefire brought an end to five days of violent clashes between the two countries. 

This is in preparation for a ministerial-level meeting on August 7th, amidst a truce that has been held since July 28th, when both sides agreed to a ceasefire, according to AL24 News via Reuters. Both the US and China assisted with this and are also currently observing the proceedings.

The talks followed the worst fighting between Thailand and Cambodia in more than a decade, which erupted on July 24th. Clashes along the two neighbors’ long-disputed border killed at least 43 people and displaced more than 300,000 others.

Authorities on both sides have established that their ministers of defense will hold a meeting to determine how to keep up the ceasefire. This meeting will consist of the General Border Committee.

Despite the current talks between Thailand and Cambodia, there is an apparent mistrust between the two, according to Reuters. The Cambodian Defence Ministry has accused Thailand of violating the ceasefire agreement. They have said that Thailand used excavators and laid barbed wire in a contested border area.

Thailand has also made accusations against Cambodia. Thai military spokesperson Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri has said that, “there are reports that the Cambodian side has modified their positions and reinforced their troops in key areas… to replace personnel lost in each area.”

Thailand’s Acting Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, has expressed concern over the intentions of Cambodia. He has stated that Thailand lacks confidence in Cambodia, and that “their actions so far have reflected insincerity in solving the problem.” He also accused Cambodia of violating international law.

In addition to the mistrust between both sides, Cambodia has also made demands to Thailand. They ask that Thailand release 18 of its captured soldiers without delay.

Thailand, however, has not agreed to this, and has put out a statement that the group of soldiers are not being mistreated, and are being treated as “prisoners of war.” They have said that they will only be released after “a complete cessation of the armed conflict, not just a ceasefire.”

AL24, Reuters, Maghrebi.org