The Thai Army has said it will postpone an upcoming Regional Border Committee meeting in Banteay Meanchey province unless Cambodia agrees to evacuate residents from two disputed border villages, Thai media reported Friday.
The talks, scheduled for Oct. 10-12 after a previous delay tied to a change in Thai military leadership, have been complicated by razor-wire barricades Thai soldiers put up last month along disputed areas between Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey and Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province.
The barricades in what Cambodia calls Chouk Chey and Prey Chan villages have cut off residents – many of whom have lived there for years – from their homes and farms, sparking clashes with Thai troops. Thai authorities have also put up banners ordering Cambodian villagers to leave by Friday or face repercussions under Thai law.
Cambodia and Thailand are holding a series of Regional Border Committee (RBC) meetings this month. The RBCs are regional arms of the General Border Committee, a bilateral body used to manage disputes and coordinate along the shared border. Talks at all levels have been key to maintaining peace since a deadly five-day border clash in July ended in a ceasefire.
Cambodia’s Military Region 3 will meet Thailand’s Chanthaburi-Trat Border Defence Command on Oct. 4-6 in Koh Kong, followed by RBC talks with Military Region 4 and Thailand’s Army Region 2 on Oct. 7-9 in Oddar Meanchey.
Banteay Meanchey deputy governor Ly Vannarith said local authorities and residents are “prepared to stop Thai activity” to protect “our land and homes.”
He added he was confused by the Thai military’s evacuation demands, suggesting they may be an attempt to apply pressure ahead of the scheduled meetings.
National Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata declined to comment on the Thai army’s demands, referring reporters to the ministry’s official page for updates.
The ministry had not issued a statement on the possible delay to the RBC talks by the time of publication.
While dialogue continues between the neighbors, so have tensions. Brief exchanges of fire broke out last week in the An Ses area along the Preah Vihear-Ubon Ratchathani border, with both sides trading blame over who fired first.
Eighteen Cambodian soldiers also remain in Thai custody for more than two months, a flashpoint for many Cambodians.
