GBC day two tense as Cambodia denies ceasefire letter
GBC talks stayed tense as Cambodia denied a ceasefire letter, blamed mistranslation, while Thailand set 3 conditions and clashes continued
- GBC talks remain tense on day two as Cambodia protests ‘ceasefire letter’, says Thai media mistranslated it
- Cambodia denied reports it had sent a letter seeking ceasefire talks, claiming Thai media misread and mistranslated the document, adding to tensions at the GBC meeting.
- Thailand submitted three key conditions for negotiations: an immediate halt to firing, a sustained ceasefire with observers, and concrete cooperation on demining.
The secretary-level meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) between Thailand and Cambodia entered its second day on Thursday, December 25, 2025—Christmas Day—in Chanthaburi province, amid a tense atmosphere after the two sides disagreed over the contents and interpretation of official documents exchanged between them.
Cambodia denies ‘ceasefire request letter’, says Thai translation was wrong
General Tea Seiha, Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, posted on his personal Facebook page denying reports that Cambodia had sent a letter on December 22 requesting ceasefire talks, calling the reports “fake news”.
Tea Seiha said Thai media had interpreted the official document incorrectly. He claimed that even when using translation tools such as Google Translate—or AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini—the resulting translations did not match what Thai media had reported, leaving the Cambodian side confused by the interpretation.
‘Anutin’ says Thailand responded because it was attacked
Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul commented on Cambodia’s changed stance over the alleged ceasefire letter, saying: “Not everything is about what is written in a document. This is about Thailand responding after being attacked and violated by another country.”
He said Thailand had to respond in line with the rules of engagement, and urged the public to wait for the outcome of the GBC talks, which are expected to set up bilateral committees. He added that if an agreement is signed, Thailand hopes Cambodia will keep its commitments to prevent a repeat of past problems.
Thailand submits three ‘non-negotiable’ conditions, presses Cambodia to show sincerity
On day two, the Cambodian delegation—led by Maj Gen Nhem Boraden—crossed into Thailand via the Ban Phakkad permanent border checkpoint in Chanthaburi at 8.30am. The Thai side prepared a draft agreement and maintained three key conditions for negotiations:
- Cambodia must halt firing immediately.
- Any ceasefire must be real, continuous, and monitored by observers.
- There must be concrete cooperation on demining operations.
Border clashes continue despite talks
Despite the negotiations, fighting on the ground has continued. The 2nd Army Area reported that Cambodian forces have continued to use mortars, artillery and FPV drones to attack Thai positions in the Satta Som–Don Trol area and around Prasat Ta Kwai–Ta Muen, on an ongoing basis.
Meanwhile, the Burapha Force in Sa Kaeo reported that operations to seize and secure positions have continued for a 17th consecutive day.
The GBC meeting is therefore being closely watched over whether it can become a genuine turning point towards a ceasefire—or whether it will remain a diplomatic manoeuvre while gunfire still echoes along the border.
