Thai-Cambodian GBC meeting starts in Koh Kong on Sunday
Thai-Cambodian GBC meeting opens in Koh Kong to tackle Ban Nong Chan disputes, landmine clearance, border order, and crackdowns on call centre gangs.
The Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) began its meeting in Koh Kong, Cambodia, on Sunday to address border issues, including the dispute at Ban Nong Chan and landmine clearance.
The three-day meeting will run until Tuesday. On Wednesday, Thailand’s caretaker Defence Minister Gen Nattapon Narkphanit is scheduled to sign the agreement from the meeting with Cambodian Defence Minister Gen Tea Seiha.
Key agenda items
The meeting focused on issues raised earlier by regional border committees during talks between Thailand’s First Army Area, Second Army Area and the Royal Thai Navy’s Trat Defence Force with their Cambodian counterparts.
These included:
- Landmine clearance: Joint cooperation to clear landmines in disputed and claimed areas along the border for the safety of troops and civilians, following six incidents in which Thai soldiers were injured.
- Criminal networks: Cooperation to suppress call centre gangs operating inside Cambodia.
- Border demarcation: Reordering of disputed areas, including Ban Nong Chan in Sa Kaeo province.
- MoU compliance: Setting timeframes for both sides to respond to complaints about violations of the 2000 memorandum of understanding on land disputes.
Reporting and safety measures
The results of the GBC meeting will also be submitted to the ASEAN Interim Observer Team.
For security reasons, the Thai delegation will return to Thailand each evening to stay overnight at a hotel before resuming talks the following day.
