Thailand and Cambodia agree to meet amid renewed cross-border fighting

As regional leaders push for an end to deadly violence along the two nations’ shared border, Thailand and Cambodia have come to an agreement to hold a meeting of defense officials later this week.

Following a special meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur attempting to salvage a ceasefire, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow made the announcement of the planned talks on Monday.

After fighting broke out across the border in July, Malaysia’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and US President Donald Trump brokered that truce.

In accordance with an existing bilateral border committee, Sihasak informed reporters that discussions will take place this week on Wednesday in Chanthaburi, Thailand.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense reported that the Thai military had jets bombed parts of Siem Reap and Preah Vihear provinces shortly after the regional crisis discussions were held in Malaysia.

The Thai army claimed that Cambodian air force responded by airstrikes on two Cambodian military targets after the country fired dozens of rockets at Thailand.

Following the end of the truce, Thailand and Cambodia have engaged in daily rocket and artillery fire along their 817 km (508 mile) land border. Fighting has broken out between the two countries, starting at forested areas near Laos and coastal provinces in the Gulf of Thailand.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior said it is still hopeful that the Thai side will act sincerously in the wake of the cross-border conflict.

Sihasak, a representative from Thailand, warned that a truce might be reached at the upcoming meeting. He said, “Our position is that a ceasefire must come from actions rather than an announcement.”

His ministry promised to discuss the ceasefire’s implementation, related steps, and verification in greater detail with the two countries’ militaries.

ASEAN on Monday urged both nations to show “maximum restraint and take immediate steps toward the cessation of all forms of hostilities” as part of the planned meeting.

Thailand and Cambodia were also urged by ASEAN to “restore mutual trust and confidence, and to return to dialogue” in a statement released following the talks in Kuala Lumpur.