Sihasak warns Cambodia not to endanger fragile ceasefire

Ceasefire remains fragile, Sihasak says

Caretaker Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow on Tuesday said the ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia remained fragile and warned Cambodian leaders against jeopardising it with provocative words and actions.

He said Cambodian drone flights and public statements by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Hun Sen that caused misunderstanding and confusion could undermine the already-fragile ceasefire.

Sihasak was speaking to reporters at the Government House after he returned from a trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting among China, Thailand and Cambodia in China. The meeting took place ahead of the 72-hour ceasefire deadline at noon on Tuesday.

Talks focus on extending the ceasefire and building trust

Sihasak said the meeting discussed extending the ceasefire beyond the 72-hour period and making it sustainable to build trust between the two neighbouring countries.

He said bilateral relations could only resume and move forward once the ceasefire was sustainable and trust had been restored.

“The ceasefire is still fragile and it needs to be made sustainable,” he said. “Actions that provoke or create misunderstanding must be avoided as they could undermine the ceasefire.”

Warning over rhetoric from Hun Manet and Hun Sen

Sihasak said Cambodian leaders should also be cautious in their public remarks.

He cited Hun Manet’s comment that a ceasefire did not mean Cambodia had lost the battle, saying such language could fuel misunderstanding.

He added that Thailand was not the party that proposed the ceasefire and urged Hun Manet to avoid comments that could escalate tensions and instead focus on confidence-building.

Landmine blast investigation and proposed hotlines

On the latest landmine blast in Si Sa Ket’s Kantharalak district that injured a Thai soldier, Sihasak said the Thai military would investigate whether the mine had been recently planted.

He said the recent General Border Committee (GBC) meeting also discussed setting up hotlines for both sides to verify facts and prevent misunderstandings.

JBC border talks not imminent, caretaker government says

On Hun Sen’s call for a Thailand–Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting on border demarcation, Sihasak said the process could not begin soon because the caretaker Cabinet must first consider the outcome of the recent GBC meeting.

He said procedural steps were required before a JBC meeting could be convened, and its outcomes would also be binding on the new government expected after the February 8 election.

Responding to Hun Sen’s claim that Cambodia would not accept the current boundaries after the latest fighting and wanted them decided through the JBC, Sihasak said conditions along the border had changed and the JBC would need to take those changes into account.

POW release tied to ceasefire compliance

Asked whether Thailand would release 18 Cambodian prisoners of war after the 72-hour ceasefire, Sihasak said Thailand would keep its word if the ceasefire held.

He said both countries would need to continue building trust and preventing provocations along the border after the 72-hour period ended. He added that Cambodia must cooperate with Thailand on clearing landmines, as border areas must be safe before demarcation surveys could proceed and a JBC meeting could take place.

Sihasak said diplomatic channels between the two countries remained open and should be used to resolve misunderstandings when incidents occur.

He added that sustaining the ceasefire would benefit both sides, noting Cambodia had also suffered significant losses and Cambodian villagers wanted to return home.