Bangkok: The Ministry of Defence clarified that the border crossing has not yet been opened and that Cambodia's sincerity must be assessed. The Deputy Minister of Defense reiterated that there is no opening of the border crossing at this time. This is preparation for the next phase. The sincerity and compliance with the agreement of the Cambodian side must be assessed.
According to Thai News Agency, Rear Admiral Surasan Kongsiri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, revealed that the first special meeting of the Thailand-Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC) held in Koh Kong Province, Cambodia, on September 10th marked an important step in utilizing bilateral mechanisms to ease border tensions. General Nattapol Nakphanit, Deputy Minister of Defense and Acting Minister of Defense, emphasized that "protecting national sovereignty must be a priority, along with caring for the livelihoods of the people and businesses within the country."
From the GBC meeting results, there were important issues that both sides agreed upon, including the withdrawal of heavy weapons and equipment of mass destruction from the border area. The GBC and RBC secretariats will meet within three weeks to develop a plan and begin moving out forces at the scheduled time, with the participation of IOT observers to build mutual trust. Joint mine clearance along the border will begin within one month to ensure the safety of citizens and officials.
Efforts to suppress online crimes by setting up a joint working group within one week were also discussed. Initially, the Thai side has sent information and coordinates of over 60 scam centers to the Cambodian side to carry out decisive suppression. This is the first time that the Cambodian side has responded to cooperate. The Thai side will closely follow up on the results in the next special GBC within 30 days.
Regarding border area management, the JBC will define the clear boundary lines, and the RBC will develop management guidelines within the JBC framework. The governors of Sa Kaeo and Banteay Meanchey provinces are coordinating to ensure peaceful and orderly management of the Ban Nong Chan area.
On border crossing relaxations, the Ministry of Defense clarified that no border crossings have been opened at this time. This measure is only a principled discussion. If implemented in the future, the relaxation will only apply to freight vehicles, not individuals, and will be subject to limitations on the number of trips or on a case-by-case basis, depending on the level of readiness and tension in the area. The Ministry of Defense has designated three zones based on the level of tension: Zone 1 (Highest tension), Zone 2 (Medium tension), and Zone 3 (Low tension).
The relaxation measures will be piloted in Zone 3 first, with the Regional Border Committee tasked with determining details such as product types, border crossing times, and the number of trips, in coordination with local agencies, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Customs Department, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of Industry. Rear Admiral Surasan added that the Prime Minister's key policy to General Nattapol is to protect national sovereignty and care for the people, as the prolonged tensions directly impact farmers, entrepreneurs, and households. However, what will truly move these negotiations forward is Cambodia's sincerity and adherence to the agreements. Without actual implementation, the agreed-upon cooperation will be ineffective and will be an obstacle to resolving the situation.