Cambodian brigadier says Thailand, Cambodia “cannot be separated” amid GBC talks
Brig Gen Sopka said Chanthaburi and Pailin remain calm and closely coordinated, stressing Thailand and Cambodia still need each other
On December 25, 2025, Brig Gen Sopka, commander of Cambodia’s Military Region 5 Forward Command, Sector 3, told Thai media about the Thai–Cambodian border situation—especially in Chanthaburi on the Thai side and Pailin on the Cambodian side.
He said Chanthaburi and Pailin were like “sister cities”, with the overall situation calm and orderly. He said there had been no violence or clashes, and that the two areas continued to coordinate closely—clearing up misunderstandings and instructing officials on both sides to prevent tensions from escalating. He added that Chanthaburi and Pailin were a model area for cooperation and had never seen serious incidents.
Asked whether peace could be achieved in other areas, Brig Gen Sopka said he could not answer, as it depended on discussions among local leaders in each area. He said it was not his place to interfere or offer advice.
Asked whether he believed everything would pass smoothly, he made a military salute and replied briefly: “Yes.”
As for the direction of the Thailand–Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC) meeting over the next one to two days, he said he could not comment and that the public should wait for the official conclusions from the formal talks.
He concluded by saying he remained confident that Thailand and Cambodia were neighbouring countries that still had to rely on each other and could not be separated. The key goal, he said, was to build peace so people on both sides could live normal, secure lives—even if some areas along the border remained tense.
