BANGKOK: Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow (pic) said Sunday (Oct 19) that the four-party consultations on Cambodia-Thailand border dispute are progressing towards drafting a Joint Declaration on Thai-Cambodian relations.
The four-party consultations between United States, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, held on Oct 12 and 17 in Kuala Lumpur, were aimed at restoring bilateral relations between the two neighbours.
Sihasak said discussions involved formulating implementation details for the four priority areas and towards drafting a Joint Declaration on Thai-Cambodian relations.
The meetings followed the first round held in New York in Sept 2025, he added.
"Progress has been made in four areas that are a priority for Thailand, including the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from border areas, humanitarian demining, combating transnational crime and the management of priority border areas.
"If the discussions eventually lead to satisfactory outcomes, this Joint Declaration may be signed during the upcoming 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur in the presence of Malaysia and the United States,” he said in a statement.
Sihasak said the Secretariats of the General Border Committee (GBC) of both countries will still meet on Oct 20 and 21 to further discuss a detailed action plan to ensure the concrete implementation of what was agreed.
According to him, the document must also undergo domestic procedures and be endorsed by the defence ministers of both countries.
On the 18 prisoners of war (POWs), Sihasak said Thailand needs to see concrete progress in the implementation of certain areas before considering their release.
Tensions between the two neighbours over a dispute on their 817-kilometre border escalated into a military confrontation in late July. Fighting abruptly halted following a ceasefire agreement brokered by Malaysia as Asean Chair in Putrajaya on July 28. - Bernama
