THAILAND has indicated that it is not yet ready to hold a long‑planned boundary talks meeting with Cambodia, citing the current caretaker status of its government and ongoing safety concerns along their shared border.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said that Thailand considers the conditions for convening a meeting of the Cambodia‑Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) have not been fulfilled.
Xinhua reported Nikorndej explaining that the Cambodian proposal for a JBC meeting was submitted before the recent special meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers. He said that circumstances have since changed, and the proposal now requires fresh consideration.
He also noted that, with the Thai government operating in a caretaker capacity, it may not be in a position to appoint appropriate representatives to participate in negotiations on boundary delimitation.
Nikorndej further emphasised the safety challenges in the border region, where numerous landmines remain.
“With the continued presence of a significant number of landmines in the border area, both sides are unable to conduct surveys or boundary demarcation work,” he said, adding that clear mechanisms for demining must be established before a JBC meeting can proceed.
Cambodia has formally urged Thailand to hold the next Cambodia‑Thailand Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary meeting in the first week of January 2026 in Siem Reap province, according to a press release issued on Monday by Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Border Affairs, Xinhua reported. - December 31, 2025
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