Thailand’s PM orders suspension of peace declaration with Cambodia
Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered an immediate suspension of a joint peace declaration with Cambodia after a landmine blast injured two Thai service members, The Nation newspaper reported.
“What we have been pursuing must now be put on hold until clarity is restored. This clearly shows that the animosity towards our nation’s security has not diminished. Since that is the case, all further actions must be suspended,” the paper quoted the prime minister as saying.
Charnvirakul expressed support for the Thai military over the incident, which took place during a patrol mission on the border with Cambodia. “I’ve already told them to proceed as they see fit, I stand with them and support every step,” he added.
Government Spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat announced in this regard that “the scheduled release of Cambodian prisoners of war on November 12 will also be suspended.” When asked if the suspension of the joint declaration would be indefinite, he said: “We can’t say it’s indefinite, discussions will be needed. For now, everything must stop until the landmine incident is fully addressed.”
In October, the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia, Anutin Charnvirakul and Hun Manet, signed a peace deal in the presence of US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur. The document outlined further steps towards a peaceful settlement of border tensions between the two countries.
The parties committed “to de-escalating tensions and restoring confidence and mutually beneficial relations” between the two countries. In order to achieve this goal, they agreed to “implement military de-escalation under the observation and verification of the ASEAN Observer Team, to include the removal of heavy and destructive weapons and equipment from the border and returning them back to their respective normal military installations.”
Armed clashes broke out along the Cambodia-Thailand border near the disputed area in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey Province on July 24. On July 28, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced a ceasefire between Bangkok and Phnom Penh following talks in Kuala Lumpur.
A number of incidents have taken place since then, most notably involving Thai troops stepping on landmines. According to the Thai Foreign Ministry, Cambodian troops fired small arms and grenade launchers at Thailand in late September, prompting Thai forces to go on alert.
