Cambodia has called on Thailand to expedite the establishment of an ASEAN observer group, led by Malaysia, to fully and effectively verify and implement the recent ceasefire between the two countries.
Speaking at a press conference on August 13, Cambodian Defence Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata urged Thailand to respect the terms of the ceasefire agreement and the spirit of unity reached during the General Border Committee meeting. The agreement included a commitment by both sides to maintain their military forces in their current positions and not to relocate them before the ceasefire officially took effect at midnight on July 28.
Maly Socheata also raised concerns about landmines along the border near Ta Moan temple, stressing that Cambodia has repeatedly informed Thailand that the area still contains mines left over from past conflicts. She said Cambodia does not use new mines under any circumstances and is a state party to the 1999 Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines. Cambodia, she added, has been internationally recognised for its achievements in mine clearance and its compliance with the treaty.
She stated that so far, there has been no official and transparent investigation to confirm the facts in the recent incident in which soldiers stepped on a mine near Ta Moan Thom temple.
On August 7, Cambodia and Thailand held an extraordinary meeting of the General Border Committee in Malaysia, attended by observers from Malaysia, the United States, and China. The meeting produced a 13-point agreement aimed at ensuring the ceasefire holds, following five days of cross-border shelling that caused casualties among both military personnel and civilians.
On July 20, the Thai Foreign Ministry accused Cambodia of secretly planting landmines on Thai territory, injuring three Thai soldiers. That statement coincided with a Cambodian Defence Ministry declaration claiming the mine blast occurred because Thai troops had patrolled a newly constructed road within Cambodian sovereign territory.
