Thai, Cambodian ties ‘best ever’
Thai and Cambodian relations have improved immensely with moves to shelve overlapping border conflicts and push ahead with plans to upgrade checkpoints to bolster trade and transport links, the two sides say.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh agreed diplomatic ties have soared to a point the countries have never reached before and vowed to maintain their friendship.
Gen Tea Banh treated Gen Prawit as his “big brother” as the Thai general was born three months earlier than him. This happened during their talk at the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Bangkok yesterday.
The talk painted a contrasting picture to their past relationship in 2008 when the two countries deployed soldiers at disputed border areas near the Preah Vihear temple, the ancient Hindu ruins.
Yesterday, the countries agreed to support a plan to upgrade Chong An Man border-trade checkpoint, which connects Ubon Ratchathani with the Cambodian border at its Preah Vihear province, Thai defence spokesman Lt Gen Kongcheep Tantravanich said after the meeting.
This move would have been unimaginable when both sides claimed areas in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear temple.
The conflict led to military tensions and caused the International Court of Justice to set up a demilitarised zone around the ruins before it, in 2013, ruled in favour of Phnom Penh’s right to the whole promontory of the temple.
However, the court did not decide which country had authority over a nearby 4.6 sq km of disputed area.
At this stage, “the two sides stand firm on not letting border conflicts destroy the good relationship”, Lt Gen Kongcheep said. They will refrain from any acts causing the problem to resurface.
As well as Chong An Man, the two leaders also agreed to upgrade three other border crossing locations to permanent border checkpoints.
One is in Ban Khao Din in Sa Kaeo opposite a remote Cambodian city in Battambang province, he said, adding the upgrade is expected to be completed this month.
Two new checkpoints will be set up in the northeastern province of Buri Ram and Trat on the Gulf of Thailand coast. Officials will also go ahead with a plan to build a bridge connecting Ban Nong Ian in Sa Kaeo and a border city in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province.