Picture courtesy of Naewna

 

Thailand and Cambodia will begin secretary-level talks under the General Border Committee (GBC) framework in Chanthaburi province at 16:00 on Wednesday, 24 December, after the Cambodian side agreed to attend. Thai officials have warned that Thailand will not proceed to the full GBC meeting or sign any agreement if key technical issues on troop deployment and a ceasefire remain unclear. The stance raises the possibility that the planned ministerial-level talks later this week could be cancelled.

 

The meeting marks the first day of secretary-level discussions scheduled from 24–26 December, between the two countries. The Thai delegation is led by Gen Nattapong Prua-kaew, Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, meeting counterparts from Cambodia’s GBC secretariat. These talks are intended to set the technical framework ahead of the full GBC meeting.

 

The full GBC session, co-chaired by the defence ministers of Thailand and Cambodia, is scheduled for 27 December. According to Thai officials, progress at the secretary-level stage is a prerequisite for that meeting to take place. Without agreement on core operational details, Thailand has stated it will neither attend nor sign any outcomes on 27 December.

 

During the talks, Thailand plans to raise five allegations of Cambodian violations of international norms. These include the use, possession, production, and deployment of newly laid anti-personnel landmines. Thailand will also accuse Cambodia of using ancient monuments as military positions.

 

Further allegations include the use of civilian communities as locations for heavy weapons fire, followed by troop movement back into those communities after firing. Thailand will also claim that civilian buildings, including those linked to scammer operations or casinos, have been used as military positions or weapons storage sites. The fifth allegation concerns the use of civilians as human shields and as instruments for accusations when casualties occur.

 

The Thai position signals heightened sensitivity over border security and compliance with international law. Officials emphasised that any ceasefire must include clear, enforceable details on force deployment to be credible. Ambiguity, they argue, would undermine stability along the Thai–Cambodian border.

 

Naewna reported that if the secretary-level talks fail to resolve these technical issues, Thailand has confirmed it will not move forward with the GBC meeting scheduled for 27 December. The outcome of the Chanthaburi discussions will therefore determine whether bilateral defence talks proceed or stall at a critical stage.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Thailand and Cambodia began GBC secretary-level talks in Chanthaburi on 24 December at 16:00.

• Thailand warned it will not attend or sign the full GBC meeting on 27 December if ceasefire and troop deployment terms remain unclear.

• Thai officials will raise five specific allegations of Cambodian violations of international norms during the talks.

 

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 Adapted by Asean Now from Naewna 2025-12-24

 

 

Of course Thailand don't want to any concession, so all kind of reasons to make the negotiatons difficult or impossible