Thailand, Cambodia hold border talks
CHANTHABURI, Dec 25 (TNA) - Thai and Cambodian military officials held a preliminary meeting on Wednesday to lay the groundwork for a formal ceasefire, with Bangkok demanding three concrete conditions to end recent border hostilities.
The secretarial-level General Border Committee (GBC) meeting, held at the Ban Pakkad border crossing in Thailand’s Chanthaburi province, lasted just 35 minutes. Despite the brief duration, Thai officials described the session as a positive signal in efforts to halt the conflict.
General Nattapong Prowkaew, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Armed Forces and head of the Thai delegation, said the kingdom’s stance remains firm.
While he cannot disclose their specific responses as it might complicate negotiations, their presence today is a good sign for ceasefire talks, he said.
Thailand’s three primary demands center on an immediate cessation of hostilities and a commitment to a sustained, verifiable ceasefire monitored by third-party observers. Additionally, Bangkok is calling for sincere, concrete cooperation in joint demining operations along the border.
The meeting follows a formal request from Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense on Dec. 22 to resume talks under the GBC framework, following a special ASEAN ministerial meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
According to documents released by the Thai military, Cambodia has expressed a willingness to align with ASEAN-led peace efforts. In a letter from Cambodian Defense Minister General Tea Seiha, Phnom Penh proposed an agenda focused on the immediate end of fighting, the safe return of displaced civilians, and an enhanced role for the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT).
Phnom Penh further called for a peaceful resolution of disputes through the full and immediate implementation of the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration dated October 26, 2025. This proposal includes the urgent activation of existing bilateral mechanisms to address critical issues, specifically border demarcation and humanitarian demining operations.
Full-scale secretarial-level negotiations are scheduled to begin Thursday at 09:00 local time, where officials will attempt to finalize a roadmap for peace following months of sporadic clashes that have displaced civilians on both sides of the border.
If the secretarial-level discussions proceed smoothly and result in a formal agreement, a meeting between the defense ministers of both nations will follow on Dec. 27. -819 (TNA)
