Cambodia and Thailand start negotiations within a precarious ceasefire in Malaysia

The fragile truce between Thailand and Cambodia remains in place one week after the two sides agreed on a ceasefire, and preliminary negotiations between defense officials from the two countries began Monday in Malaysia ahead of a crucial ministerial level meeting on Thursday.

Following five days of border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia, a truce was established last Monday at a summit in Malaysia with observation and assistance from China and the United States.

With at least 43 fatalities and nearly 300,000 displaced on both sides of the border, the fiercest combat between the neighbors of Southeast Asia in almost a decade featured artillery fire and jet fighter raids.
To discuss how to keep the ceasefire in place, the General Border Committee is scheduled to meet with the defense ministers of both nations, according to officials on both sides.

Representatives from the US, China, and Malaysia will watch the meeting on Thursday.

The defense ministry of Cambodia accused Thailand in a statement of breaking the ceasefire agreement by using excavators and installing barbed wire in a disputed border location, demonstrating the continued mistrust between the two neighbors despite the current negotiations.

Thailand said that there have been no notable changes to either side’s stance.

“There are reports that the Cambodian side has modified their positions and reinforced their troops in key areas… to replace personnel lost in each area,” a Thai military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, stated.

Cambodia has called on Thailand to immediately free 18 of its abducted soldiers. Thailand claimed in a statement that the group is being treated well as “prisoners of war” and would be released upon “a complete cessation of the armed conflict, not just a ceasefire.”