Thais, Cambodians to meet on border issues

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and his Thai counterpart Tanasak Patimapragorn are to meet in Siem Reap on Thursday to discuss border issues, just weeks after tensions again flared in Preah Vihear province.

According to the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the annual meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between Cambodia and Thailand will take place on Thursday and Friday.

But Koy Kuong, the ministry spokesman, declined to comment on whether road construction in an area claimed by Cambodia, but which Thailand said was neutral, would be up for discussion. Tensions over the construction saw some 200 Thai troops deployed and a border crossing temporarily closed late last month.

“The meeting will focus on all fields of cooperation, but I dare not say anything specifically before the meeting has happened,” Kuong said.

Major General Phat Sophen, chief of the Cambodian-Thai Border Relations Office in Preah Vihear, yesterday said that the border remained “calm”.

“The border issues in An Ses were resolved after talks between senior military officials from Cambodia and Thailand,” he said.