Thailand agrees to ceasefire, rejects pre-clash position return
Prime Minister Anutin agrees to a 72-hour ceasefire but says Thailand will not pull back from territory now under Thai control.
Thailand says it is prepared to enter a short ceasefire with Cambodia but will not accept any deal that requires Thai forces to retreat from areas they have secured during the latest border clashes.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the National Security Council has approved a 72-hour ceasefire proposal and authorized Defense Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit to represent Thailand at talks in Chanthaburi on Saturday.
The meeting of the General Border Committee is expected to finalize a joint statement endorsed in principle after three days of technical military discussions. Anutin said Thailand would not accept Cambodia’s request for both sides to return to positions held before the most recent fighting.
“We have already established sovereignty in areas we are confident belong to Thailand. We cannot step back,” he said. “This is not a business negotiation. It is about national sovereignty.”
The draft agreement remains based on four points outlined in the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration on October 26: withdrawal of heavy weapons, clearance of unexploded ordnance, joint action against scam networks, and resolving disputes in Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaeo in Sa Kaeo province.
Thailand has also made the ceasefire a condition for considering the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers detained since clashes earlier this year. Anutin said Cambodia must first demonstrate it can uphold the ceasefire.
“If Cambodia honors the halt in fighting, we will consider the release,” he said.
The prime minister said Thai military commanders had confirmed that all operational objectives related to territorial integrity had been met. He added that demining teams had uncovered evidence of newly planted explosive devices on Thai soil.
According to Anutin, ASEAN observers have submitted written confirmation that additional landmines were laid along troop routes. He said he personally inspected some of the devices during a recent visit to the area.
Despite ceasefire discussions, fighting continued on Friday in several locations. The Ministry of Defense said Thai forces secured Ban Nong Chan in Sa Kaeo province and now control three key frontlines: Ban Khlong Phang, Ban Nong Chan, and Ban Nong Ya Kaeo.
Anutin said Thailand remains open to dialogue through formal and informal channels and would respond if Cambodia’s leadership sought direct talks.
“If Cambodia agrees to the principles already on the table, stability can be restored,” he said. “But if Thailand is threatened, we are ready to respond.”
Thailand and Cambodia have disputed sections of their shared border for decades. Of the roughly 800-kilometer boundary, only about 630 kilometers have been officially demarcated.
Original source Bangkok Post.
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