PM, NSC reaffirm Thailand’s four-point stance for Cambodia to follow
Prime Minister Anutin chaired an NSC meeting reaffirming Thailand’s four-point stance on the border issue and communicating it to the international community, while declining to comment on the military’s plan to remove Cambodian settlers from Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaeo.
Chatchai Bangchuad, Secretary-General of the National Security Council (NSC), said on Friday (October 10) that the NSC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had reviewed the ongoing situation along the Thai–Cambodian border and reaffirmed Thailand’s four key principles previously outlined by the premier.
The four points are:
- Withdrawal of heavy weapons from the border area by Cambodia
- Landmine clearance in disputed zones
- Cooperation in combating transnational crime
- Joint management of problematic border areas
Chatchai said the meeting mainly focused on monitoring overall developments and ensuring that all relevant agencies adhere to these principles while also communicating Thailand’s position to the international community.
When asked whether the meeting discussed the Army’s proposal for managing the contested area around Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaeo in Sa Kaeo province, he said it was not addressed in detail. “The discussion was primarily a situation update and a reaffirmation of the four-point stance to guide operational agencies,” he said, adding that the military would determine the timing and implementation of specific measures.
On whether the meeting considered legal enforcement measures to restore order in the area, Chatchai said that topic was not discussed and might be considered in later stages.“The meeting did not go into that level of detail due to time constraints.”
Turning to the southern border situation, the NSC chief revealed that the government is considering the establishment of a special government delegation to serve as a link between policymakers and operational units working on the southern peace process.
He said the new mechanism would help coordinate strategies and ensure coherence between national policy and on-the-ground implementation, given that the government’s current term has only four months to one year remaining.
“The Prime Minister has already appointed Gen Somsak Roongsita as head of the Peace Dialogue Panel, and the next steps will proceed accordingly,” Chatchai said.
He noted that the composition of the new special representative team has not yet been finalised. The NSC has been tasked with proposing a suitable structure and candidate list, in coordination with political authorities.
“The team will not be large but will include representatives from diverse sectors,” Chatchai added. “We want it to be compact and efficient given the limited timeframe, and we’ll move quickly to finalise the formation.”
