Cambodia and Thailand will meet in Phnom Penh on June 14 in the latest bid to ease tensions after a deadly border clash last week, Cambodia’s foreign ministry said, as both sides traded blame for a gunfight that killed a Cambodian soldier near a disputed stretch close to Preah Vihear province.
The set meeting follows earlier bilateral talks, including between senior military officials and a brief exchange between foreign ministry envoys on the sidelines of a forum in Japan on Friday. Both sides pledged to prevent further flare-ups.
However, rhetoric has yet to fully die down. On Saturday, former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, now senate president and father of current leader Hun Manet, branded critics of Cambodia’s border stance “Thai extremists.” His Facebook page was later reportedly blocked in Thailand.
Thai media later reported that the military was considering closing border crossings, while Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra later urged restraint.
The June 14 meeting will reconvene the Joint Boundary Committee (JBC), a long-standing mechanism both sides have used to defuse past border disputes.
“[…] With a firm commitment to defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Cambodia stands resolute on transforming its borders with neighboring countries into zones of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development for the benefit of the respective countries and peoples,” foreign ministry spokesperson Chum Sounry said, adding that “Cambodia is committed to resolving border issues peacefully, through technical mechanisms and international law.”
The announcement of a JBC meeting came a day after Cambodia’s parliament voted to bring the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has previously ruled in Phnom Penh’s favour on territorial claims.
Thailand’s military pushed back, with Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai calling the move an “escalation” that would “internationalise” the issue, and instead urging resolution through existing bilateral mechanisms.
Meanwhile, Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona said Phnom Penh remained committed to a peaceful resolution via the JBC and ICJ.
But he also pointed to Cambodia’s recent troop buildup near the border, calling it a safeguard for “territorial integrity” and a response to “any attempts to invade Cambodia.”
Border disputes in the area are nothing new. The Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Preah Vihear with sovereignty granted to Cambodia by the UN, has sparked several clashes – most notably between 2008 and 2011. Since then, and until the fatal shooting last week, only minor incidents have occurred, including a small February confrontation between border troops at another disputed temple.
The Thai Foreign Affairs Office did not immediately respond to request for comment.
