Bangkok: Assistant Professor Dr. Thanapat Chatinakrob, a lecturer at the Center for International Law, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University, discussed the recent developments concerning the signing of a joint statement between Thailand and Cambodia during the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. He emphasized that the statement is a positive step forward for Thailand, as it addresses several critical issues between the two nations.
According to Thai News Agency, the joint statement outlines measures such as the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the border, mine and explosive clearance, cooperation in tackling technology crimes and scams, and management of various contentious areas. Dr. Thanapat highlighted the importance of these measures, particularly the agreement concerning the release of 18 prisoners of war. He stressed the need for Thailand to carefully define the framework surrounding this release, as the statement is not a legally binding treaty and Cambodia may choose not to adhere to it.
Further, Dr. Thanapat pointed out that while Cambodia faces pressure from domestic economic challenges and international scrutiny, particularly from the United States regarding scams, the current border conflict situation has eased significantly. This improvement is partly due to the withdrawal of Cambodian heavy weaponry from the border. For boundary disputes, lidar technology will be employed to survey and verify boundary markers, although this is a temporary measure that will not impact sovereign claims. Dr. Thanapat urged Cambodia to cease spreading false information and to refrain from using unrelated international platforms to make accusations against Thailand.