Thailand and Cambodia closed the two-day meeting of their Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) in Phnom Penh on Sunday without reaching any conclusions on their heated territorial dispute.
The bilateral meeting was organised in Phnom Penh after a brief clash between Thai and Cambodian soldiers in Chong Bok area in Thailand's Ubon Ratchathani province.
Cambodian troops violated a no man's land agreement in the disputed area and set up a military base which included a trench. They refused to withdraw and there was a skirmish on May 28.
Cambodian troops filled the trench and withdrew from Chong Bok after border measures from Thailand.
Cambodia agreed with Thailand's proposal for both countries to discuss the issue in the JBC, but it failed to reach a concrete conclusion. Meanwhile, Cambodia also asked the International Court of Justice to consider Chong Bok and three other disputed areas with Thailand.
After the JBC's conclusion on Sunday, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Thailand and Cambodia would continue with negotiations through the JBC and Thailand would host its next meeting in September.
“They reiterated the importance and efficiency of the JBC as a key bilateral mechanism to address border challenges. The meeting is regarded as another important milestone to illustrate the progress of Thailand - Cambodia demarcation along the approximately 800-kilometre border and reduce border tensions. Both sides will continue discussions and joint implementation accordingly, with Thailand hosting the next Special JBC in September this year,” the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
In the JBC meeting over this weekend, Thai delegates were led by Prasas Prasasvinitchai, former Thai ambassador to Phnom Penh, while Lam Chea, Cambodian Minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Border Affairs, headed the Cambodian delegation.
In a statement after the conclusion of the JBC meeting on Sunday, Cambodia said it invited Thailand to bring the territorial disputes to the International Court of Justice, and that it did not accept Thailand’s map for the borderline. It blamed the map for causing territorial disputes.
Cambodia claimed both countries “agreed to use 1/200,000 scale maps in accordance with the spirit of the Franco-Siamese Convention of 1904 and the Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 to carry out border demarcation and demarcation work”.
On Sunday night, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the JBC did not discuss Cambodia's intention to bring the four disputed areas to the International Court of Justice. The ministry also dismissed "Cambodia's claim" that the JBC discussed a 1:200,000 scale map for demarcation between Siam and Indochina.