Boundary issue [with Thailand] likely to be stalled

September 28, 2011
Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

The boundary between Thailand and Cambodia was delimited and demarcated more than a century ago, when the neighbouring country was still a French colony. Most of the 800-kilometre boundary is marked with pillars with the exception of areas near the Preah Vihear Temple.

No matter who ends up leading the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), the task of demarcating the border between the two countries will never be completed if the Kingdom is unable to de-politicise the issue.

The opposition Democrat Party started campaigning against the reshuffle of the JBC once it learned that Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul had replaced the previous government’s man, Asda Jayanama, with career diplomat Bandit Sotipalalit.

Asda was made JBC chief in much the same way as Bandit, when Kasit Piromya, foreign minister under the Democrat-led government, had him replace career diplomat and legal expert Vasin Teeravechyan last November. Kasit never explained why the move was made and Vasin never complained about the move being unfair.

While Asda was in charge, the JBC only held one meeting in Indonesia this April and made no significant progress on demarcating the boundary or easing the strained relations with Cambodia.

Thai "Bandit" is the new JBC chief, can you trust him with Khmer-Thai border demarcation?

Politics may make border demarcation tough: Bandit

September 26, 2011
The Nation

New chief of the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) Bandit Sotipalalit said yesterday he feared the political split in the country could affect his job to demarcate the land boundary.

Bandit said he would seek advice from former foreign minister Kasit Piromya and Bandit's predecessor Asda Jayanama to learn problems and obstacles in the boundary demarcation.

"Please be confident in me - I will work for the national interest. As head of the JBC, I have no authority to make any change in the boundary line. Every detail I have discussed with my Cambodian counterpart must be reported to the Parliament in accordance with Article 190 of the constitution," he said.

Bandit was brought into the position recently to replace the hardline and outspoken Asda, who was in the position since November last year but failed to make any progress on the boundary demarcation due to sour relations between Thailand and Cambodia.

Borders do matter in Thai-Cambodia dispute

Thu, 05/26/2011
I Made Andi Arsana, Yogyakarta
The Jakarta Post

A casual conversation with a friend reminded me of one important view about borders. He jokingly said “in a modern world like this, I thought borders are no longer an issue.” I have been learning about border issues for a couple of years now and managed to learn one important thing: Borders do matter and they even still dictate nations in the world. In this context, my friend’s statement, to an extent, surprises me.

However, I also understand that he must not be alone. There might be millions of people, if not more, who do not realize that the world is changing when it comes to international borders.

One might agree that the most attention-grabbing border dispute in Asia recently is between Thailand and Cambodia. The two countries dispute sovereignty over a piece of land in their border area close to three temples: Preah Vihear, Ta Moan and Ta Krabey.

The latest incident took place early this month, claiming the lives of several people and forcefully displacing many more. The recent report by The Jakarta Post (May 19, 2011) revealed that the “repeated skirmishes have claimed at least 23 lives on both sides since early this year”.

Resolving border conflicts takes wisdom [-Thai opinion]

19/02/2011
By Kamol Hengkietisak
Bangkok Post

The clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops were inevitable. The deaths and injuries shared by the two sides is sad news as they occurred at the wish of the rulers of the two sides while ordinary people did not want them to happen, noted Virabongsa Ramangkura writing for Matichon.

The use of force to settle conflicts is out of fashion these days for most countries except the US, which has appointed itself the world's policeman under the United Nations banner to use force to settle conflicts around the world in order to protect its interests. The US can do this as it is the only superpower left in the world.

Mr Virabongsa, a well-known economist and former deputy prime minister, noted that to conduct international politics for whatever reason, the rulers should think in the long term about how to end conflicts and about how the international community will view any incidents.

Mr Virabongsa advised both sides of the border conflict to look at the long-term interests of their countries and peoples. They must take into account historical facts, international law, being members of United Nations and Asean. In the eyes of the global community, Thailand and Cambodia are very small in terms of economic and military power.

Abishit's administration uses new excuse tricks to stall JBC agreement with Cambodia

Ministry opts against tabling JBC border pacts

17/08/2010
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL AND AFP
Bangkok Post

A [Thai] senior ministry official who requested anonymity said the next JBC meeting would be delayed until all the agreed minutes were approved.

The Foreign Ministry has made a U-turn by deciding not to table the border agreements reached by the Joint Boundary Commission between Thailand and Cambodia for approval by parliament, ministry deputy spokesman Thani Thongpakdi says.

The decision was taken after it was realised that the joint parliamentary session was tied up with other issues, Mr Thani said yesterday.

The ministry planned to seek joint parliamentary approval for the minutes of three meetings of the JBC today. Agreement on the documents was reached at meetings in Siem Reap in November 2008, in Bangkok in February 2009 and in Phnom Penh in April last year.

The main issues at the meetings were the decision by the two countries to survey border areas, including those near the Preah Vihear temple, and to start to make aerial maps of the border.

The constitution requires parliament to approve agreements that have an impact on Thai territory.

The ministry hopes to be able to open new talks with Cambodia after it gets parliamentary approval.

A senior ministry official who requested anonymity said the next JBC meeting would be delayed until all the agreed minutes were approved.

The JBC was formed to implement the memorandum of understanding signed by Thailand and Cambodia in 2000 to solve their territorial dispute.

The government faces opposition from some senators and activists who are threatening to stage a protest if the ministry submits the JBC documents to the two houses of parliament for endorsement.

Activist Chaiwat Sinsuwong said yesterday he would lead a rally in front of parliament in Bangkok today to oppose parliament's support for any action to comply with the memorandum.

He said support for the memo could be interpreted as Thailand agreeing to cooperate with Cambodia to base demarcation on a map drafted by colonial-era France which he said put Thailand at a disadvantage.

In Phnom Penh, the secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Surin Pitsuwan, yesterday called for a peaceful solution to the border dispute which has led to a war of words.

"We certainly would like to see a peaceful resolution to any problem in Asean," Mr Surin said after meeting Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.

He said he would await a decision by Asean foreign ministers before responding to Cambodia's request for regional help in resolving the row, which Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned could lead to fresh bloodshed.

The two countries have been locked in a troop stand-off along the border since July 2008, when the ancient Preah Vihear temple was granted Unesco world heritage status.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia even though its main entrance lies in Thailand.

The boundary through the surrounding area remains in dispute, with occasional gunfights claiming several lives.

JBC border talks to be discussed in the parliament this month

Mon, September 7, 2009
The Nation

The Parliament is expected to consider negotiation documents for the Thai-Cambodian Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC) within this month, Thai Foreign Ministry said Monday.

Last week, the parliament approved the framework for negotiation of Thailand-Cambodia General Border Commission (GBC) to provide security and order in the border area.

The JBC, a responsive mechanism for boundary demarcation is under the Foreign Ministry while the GBC, which takes care of general security along the border, is under the Defense Ministry.

It was widely misunderstood in many media which reported last week that the JBC had been approved by the parliament.

Democrat MP Kraisak Choonhavan told Cambodian media, Phnom Penh Post, last week that the national assembly approved solutions to technical and other issues surrounding the border demarcation.

"A majority of parliamentarians approved the reports of the Cambodian-Thai Joint Boundary Commission this morning (September 2)," Kraisak was quoted by the Post as referring to the bilateral body that has met three times since November.

Thai foreign ministry spokesman Thani Tongpakdi said the ministry is still waiting for the parliament's consideration on the issues.

Thai Parliament Opens Way for Border Talks

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
03 September 2009

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday welcomed the approval of border discussions in Thailand’s parliament, providing the border committees of the neighbors a foundation for resolving a longstanding border dispute.

The two sides are expected to discuss border demarcation near the temple of Preah Vihear, which has been at the center of a military standoff for more than a year. The approval follows the withdrawal of some troops by both sides in recent weeks.

In a closed-door session between the Thai upper and lower Houses, lawmakers voted 306-6 to engender talks, the Nation newspaper reported. Earlier attempts to negotiate a border settlement have been scuttled by a Thai government in chaos, as partisan sides protested, and, in one case, ousted, the government.

“Thai parliament approved the negotiation framework to allow the Thai government to discuss all problems with its neighbors, particularly the border issue with Cambodia,” said Koy Kong, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry. “In the past, Cambodia has waited for approval from Thai parliament allowing the Thai border commission the right to continue discussions with the Cambodian side.”

The new vote would allow discussions “as soon as possible,” he said. “The Cambodian side needs to resolve the border dispute sooner and sooner.”

Var Kimhong, head of Cambodia’s border committee, said the two countries have so far approved more than 30 of 73 sites where markers need to be placed along 805 kilometers of frontier.

The General Border Committee, led by defense ministers of both nations, and the Joint Border Commission, led by the foreign ministers, met in late July, while the top commanders of respective militaries met in August—all in talks aimed at diffusing tension along the border, which saw at one time a build-up of thousands of troops and led to to several skirmishes and at least seven dead soldiers.

Over the past year, those skirmishes threatened to spill over into larger battle, as soldiers fired machine guns, rockets and mortars at each other, while heavy infantry and artillery were stationed nearby. A Cambodian market was destroyed, Preah Vihear temple damaged and hundreds of residents near the 11th-Century temple forced to evacuate their homes.

The standoff was sparked by the July 2008 listing of Preah Vihear temple as a Unesco World Heritage site, subsequent protests in Thailand and on the border and the occupation of disputed land near the temple by troops from both sides.

Thai MPs OK border-mapping

Thursday, 03 September 2009
Sam Rith
The Phnom Penh Post

THE Thai National Assembly on Wednesday approved solutions to technical and other issues surrounding border demarcation, paving the way for a resumption of the process of mapping the Cambodian-Thai border, a member of the Thai Democrat Party told the Post.

"A majority of parliamentarians approved the reports of the Cambodian-Thai Joint Boundary Commission this morning," said Kraisak Choonhavan, referring to the bilateral body that has met three times since November.

Var Kimhong, Cambodia's top border negotiator, said the minutes of the three meetings touched on issues such as how to demarcate the disputed area around Preah Vihear temple.

"There are many points that the Joint Boundary Commission agreed on, such as measuring major areas like Preah Vihear and other technical issues," Var Kimhong said.

Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said the Cambodian government had received no official notification of the Thai National Assembly's vote, adding that he had only heard of it from Thai news reports.

"Now we can speed up the border-demarcation process," Koy Kuong said.

Kraisak also said he welcomed the news.

"I'm very much looking forward to putting the border issue behind us and returning to good relations," he said.

The two countries have never fully demarcated their 805-kilometre shared border.

Thai Parliament approves gov't talks of boundary demarcation with Cambodia

BANGKOK, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Thai Parliament approved Wednesday reports of Thailand-Cambodia joint boundary commission, which will give a go-ahead to boundary demarcation at the disputed border area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

The joint session between the Thai lower and upper house in a closed-door meeting voted in favor of the reports 306 against 6, The Nation newspaper's website reported.

The Thai cabinet submitted for the parliament approval the three agreed-minutes of Thai-Cambodian Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC), which is required by the article 190 of Thailand's Constitution.

The JBC was activated to clear the boundary line and set provisional arrangement to jointly run the disputed area as long as the border demarcation has not finished yet.

In November last year and February and April this year, the JBC met to set frameworks for the boundary demarcation and provisional arrangement at the disputed border area near Preah Vihear temple.

However, the Thai government needs to report to the parliament approval prior to any further discussion with Cambodia.

The two neighboring countries had a brief military conflicts in the disputed area adjacent to the temple this year.

[Thai] Parliament nods for Thai-Khmer border demarcation

September 2, 2009
The Nation

The Parliament approved on Wednesday reports of Thailand-Cambodia joint boundary commission which give a go-ahead to the boundary demarcation at the disputed area near Preah Vihear temple. The joint session between the lower and upper house in their closed-door meeting voted in favor of the reports 306 against 6.

The Cabinet submitted for the parliament approval the three agreed-minutes of Thai-Cambodian Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC) as required by the article 190 of the constitution.

The JBC met in November last year, February and April this year to set frameworks for boundary demarcation and provisional arrangement at the disputed area near Preah Vihear temple.

The ministry needed to report to the parliament before further discussion with Cambodia.

Thailand and Cambodia are in loggerhead over the disputed area adjacent to the temple since last year.

The JBC was activated to clear the boundary line and set provisional arrangement to jointly run the disputed area as long as the demarcation has not finished yet.

Details of border talks to be tabled [by Thai Parliament]

August 27, 2009
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

The Foreign Ministry will submit details to Parliament tomorrow of three meetings on demarcation of the Thai-Cambodian border - centred on the Preah Vihear temple area - amid strong opposition from some senators and influential members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

The Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC), met last November, in February and in April this year, to set a framework on boundary demarcation and provisional arrangements for the disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple.

Article 190 of the Constitution requires the ministry to report to Parliament on meetings of the JBC, deputy ministerial spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said, and this had to be done before further discussion with Cambodia.

Senator Paiboon Nititawan said earlier his group of 40 senators would oppose the government's demarcation and provisional arrangements for the disputed area at the Preah Vihear. The 4.6 square kilometre area belongs to Thailand, he said.

The senators' move was backed by the PAD, who demanded yesterday the government remove by force the Cambodian community in the disputed area.

"The PAD disagrees with negotiations as long as Thai territory is occupied," PAD spokesman Panthep Phuaphongphan said.

The Democrat-led government should take the same stance as when it was in opposition, he said.

The Democrat Party and the PAD used the bruised nationalism of Preah Vihear temple to attack the previous governments. They managed to get Noppadon Pattama to step down as foreign minister, and had the whole cabinet under Samak Sundaravej in legal trouble for its support of Cambodia's proposal to list the Preah Vihear as a world heritage site.

However, Thani said the senators and the PAD misunderstood the demarcation and provisional arrangements.

"The ministry would not submit the provisional arrangements to the Parliament this Friday since we have not yet begun discussion with Cambodia on the matter," he said.

In regard to provisional arrangements on border issues in the area near Preah Vihear, both sides merely reached an agreement in a meeting in April in Phnom Penh on the use of the term "Temporary military monitoring groups" for security units in the area. The foreign ministry needed the Parliament's approval for further talks.

Meeting sets date for border survey

9/04/2009
By THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Bangkok Post

Thailand and Cambodia will start surveying their common boundary from Si Sa Ket to Surin province next month.

Vasin Teeravechyan, an adviser to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, said the boundary survey would follow the agreed minutes of the last two meetings of officials.

''Both countries have agreed that the joint field survey for the fact-finding mission on the condition and locations of boundary pillar 1 in Si Sa Ket to pillar 23 in Surin province could commence from May,'' Mr Vasin said after a two-day Joint Boundary Commission meeting in Phnom Penh earlier this week.

This was the third meeting of the commission. The earlier two meetings were held in November in Siem Reap and in February in Bangkok.

The agreements reached at the meetings would come into effect after they have parliamentary approval, Mr Vasin said.

Regarding the provisional agreement on border issues in the area of Preah Vihear temple, the countries agreed at the meeting on the name of the troops to monitor the temple and Wat Kaew Khiri Sikha Sawara Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak.

The troops will be called the ''Temporary Military Monitoring Group''.

''There remains only one pending issue to be further discussed, which is the name of the temple,'' he said.

Cambodia wants it called Preah Vihear while Thailand prefers Phra Viharn.

Demarcation of border set for May: govt

Wednesday, 08 April 2009
Written by Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

AFTER two days of talks, the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Commission (JBC) announced a new agreement to plant markers along the 805-km shared border in May in a move they say is independent of a recent eruption of fighting in Preah Vihear.

"Talking is talking, and fighting is fighting. It is separate," Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, told reporters during the talks.

He added, however, that following Friday's firefight, officials believed Thailand was moblising troops along the border, including tanks.

Cambodia's top border negotiator, Var Kimhong, said after the border talks finished late Tuesday that the technical work of the border commission would start in May, with the commission aiming to demarcate and post markers from Choam Srangam to Ta Moan temple, both of which are located in Oddar Meanchey province.

"We will not drag this out, and we have arranged for a demining operation to clear the area before the [demarcation] teams move through,"
Var Kimhong said in a press conference after the talks wrapped up.

He added that a new working group would be posting markers in "priority areas" around the Preah Vihear temple, beginning in July.

The two-day meeting, which began Monday in Phnom Penh, was part of a process launched after an earlier clash in October in which four soldiers were killed. The last meeting of the Joint Commission, in Thailand, ended in February with the two neighbours failing to reach agreement on any of the key points.

"The meeting for these two days has been a success," said Vasin Teeravechyan, Thailand's co-chairman of the JBC. "We have started posting the markers, but more work needs to be done." He added that the Thai parliament will debate the issue soon and that foreign ministers from the two countries would meet to hammer out an agreement to allow solders currently stationed at Keo Sekha Kirisvara Pagoda in Preah Vihear to be withdrawn.

Cambodia, Thailand say progress made in border talks [... no concrete results though]

Cambodian senior minister in charge of border affairs Var Kim Hong (R) shakes hands with Thai advisor to minister of Foreign Affairs and co-chairman of Thai Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary Vasin Teeravechayan (L) as they exchange documents during the special session of Cambodian-Thai Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary at Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Cambodian and Thai negotiators said Tuesday they had made progress in efforts to resolve a border stand-off near an ancient temple which last week flared into deadly gunbattles.

Three Thai troops were killed following clashes on Friday between the neighbouring countries over disputed land around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, the deadliest fighting for six months in a long-running feud.

Border officials from Thailand and Cambodia on Monday began meetings aimed at resolving their competing territorial claims, part of a process launched after an earlier clash in October killed four soldiers.

"We have made a good success," Vasin Teeravechyan, chief Thai negotiator, told reporters at the conclusion of the two-day talks.

Negotiators said they would be able to make progress on demarcating the border near the temple when they had finished some technical work.

"We have signed on three documents which are basic documents that allow us to continue working on border demarcation," said Var Kimhong, the chairman of Cambodia's border committee.

But the two countries failed to reach agreement on the spelling of the temple in official documents.

The World Court gave ownership of the temple -- which Thailand calls Phra Viharn -- to Cambodia in 1962, but tensions flared last July when the cliff-top building was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.

The current dispute centres on five square kilometres of land around the temple which has yet to be officially demarcated. The most accessible entrance to the ruins is in Thailand.

The Cambodia-Thailand border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.

Cambodian and Thai military officials have also met several times over the past few days to prevent fresh fighting.

The border issue following the casualties in Preah Vihear

JBC meeting in Phnom Penh of 06 April 2009 (Photo: Leang Delux, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)

06 April 2009
By Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

The clash between Cambodian and Thai soldiers last week did not delay the meeting of the Joint Border Commission (JBC) for the land border demarcation.

The two parties met on 06 April in the new building of the Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh for a two-day session. “The Cambodia-Thailand border committee has opened a meeting to resolve lingering problems remaining from the meeting in Bangkok last February,” Var Kim Hong, the co-president of the Khmer-Thai JBC.

According to the agenda of this meeting, several topics will be discussed: the border demarcation between the two countries based on aerial photos, discussion of a provisional arrangement project for troops redeployment around the site.

Var Kim Hong did not comment on the shootings that took place in Preah Vihear, but he concluded by saying that “the event requires a quick solution in order to avoid new incidents.” To Var Kim Hong, Thailand is responsible for the incident: “They did not respect Article 5 of the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) stipulating that resolutions should not be done through force, but rather through peaceful negotiations,” Var Kim Hong stressed.

Cambodia, Thailand to speed up border demarcation

PHNOM PENH, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials of the Joint Border Committee (JBC) of Cambodia and Thailand began a meeting here on Monday to discuss the border demarcation issue, which aims to ease military tension between the two countries.

Before the two-day special session of the JBC on demarcation of land boundary, Var Kim Hong, chairman of the border committee of Cambodia, told reporters that they want to speed up border demarcation to avoid further armed clashes between the two countries at the area near Preah Vihear temple.

After Monday's talk, Var Kim Hong told reporters that all questions will be responded after ending the meeting on Tuesday.

Two rounds of gunfire exchange took place last Friday after well-armed Thai troops intruded on Cambodian land near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, according to a statement issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Since July 2008, troops from both sides have stationed near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and two armed confrontations last year sparked brief concerns of war.

The two neighboring countries have never fully demarcated their disputed border, partly due to the landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.

Border Delegation Leaves for Thailand

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
03 February 2009

Twenty-six Cambodian delegates left for Bangkok Monday to resume stalled border talks following months of political unrest in Thailand.

Thousands of Thai and Cambodian troops have been deployed to the border since July, when long-simmering border disputes ignited after the announcement of Preah Vihear temple as a Cambodian World Heritage.

“We are leaving today for the issue, and we start negotiating on Feb. 3 and 4,” said Var Kimhong, the chief of Cambodia’s border committee.

Cambodia and Thailand remain at odds over maps to demarcate the borders. Cambodia uses a map from the French colonial period, but Thailand recognizes one from the 1960s.

Border talks were dogged by anti-government protests in Bangkok throughout 2008, which deadlocked the administration. Thai border negotiators must have approval of the Cabinet and National Assembly.

Meanwhile, a series of skirmishes between Thai and Cambodian troops have led to at least one death. Military officials said Monday the situation was calm.

Var Kimhong said that if the two sides can agree on a map, a border agreement can be reached during the two days of talks.

“I think we’re hopeful,” he said. “That’s why we’re going, because [the Thai side] wanted us to go as soon as possible, and we accepted.”

Thailand and Cambodia reduce troops

Monday, January 26, 2009
The Press Association

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed in principle to scale back troops on their disputed border following a deadly military confrontation near an ancient temple last year.

Foreign ministers from both countries met in the Cambodian capital to restart stalled talks and set a schedule for future meetings on demarcating the frontier near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple to avoid future armed clashes.

"The priority and the urgent issue is to demarcate the area near Preah Vihear temple and the scale down of troops," Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said.

In October, troops exchanged fire, leaving two Cambodian soldiers dead and 10 from both sides wounded. A Thai soldier died later from wounds sustained during the clash.

The countries' Joint Border Commission will meet on February 2 to discuss border demarcation, followed by a meeting of defence ministers on February 6.

"Defence ministers will discuss reducing the number of troops at the border," said Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tharit Charungvat.

The fighting in October was the latest flare-up in a decades-old dispute over a stretch of jungle near the Preah Vihear temple. The World Court awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but sovereignty over the surrounding land has never been clearly resolved.

The two countries share a 500-mile land border, much of which has never been clearly demarcated because the countries refer to different maps.

Talks were delayed by Thailand's internal political crisis, which eased in December with the arrival of new Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Thailand, Cambodia to hold border talks next month

PHNOM PENH, Jan 26 (TNA) - Visiting Thai Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya and Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told a joint press conference on Monday announcing that they had agreed to resolve their two countries' border dispute through peaceful means.

"The demarcation of the border at Preah Vihear temple and discussions over troops is an urgent priority," Hor Namhong told a joint press conference after the meeting.

"Both sides -- Cambodia and Thailand -- agreed to set a date from February 2 to 4 in which the joint border commission will start to demarcate territory."

Resolution of the long simmering border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia is expected to make headway next month when the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Committee (JBC) plans to meet.

Thai Defence Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan is scheduled to visit Phnom Penh on February 6, his first official visit to the Cambodian capital after assuming the post in December.

Regarding troop deployment by the two neighbouring countries at a disputed area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, Hor Namhong said Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Gen. Tea Banh will discuss the matter with Gen. Prawit during the latter's visit.

Also, the Thai-Cambodian JBC is scheduled to discuss technical and overlapped territorial waters problems in Thailand between February 2-4, while another meeting is to be held in March after the Thai Cabinet approves the list of Thai delegates attending the meeting, according to Hor Namhong.

Presently, technicians are searching for the remaining 25 border markers of the total 73, he said.

Tensions between the two countries flared in July last year when Preah Vihear was awarded UN World Heritage status. Although the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that it belonged to Cambodia, the most accessible entrance is in Thailand's northeastern province of Si Sa Ket.

Hor Namhong said he had also discussed with his Thai counterpart the status of the ancient Khmer artefacts seized earlier by Thai customs officials, asking Thailand when they could be returned to Phnom Penh.

Mr. Kasit, who arrived in Cambodia on Sunday for a two-day official visit, his first after having taken up the post, said the two countries would cooperate on solving their immediate problems in order to maintain the long, warm relations between peoples of the two countries.

Talks will be held peacefully and with brotherhood solidarity, Mr. Kasit added.

Cambodia, Thailand to discuss border dispute during ASEAN summit

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's border dispute with Thailand will be the focus of talks between Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart on the sidelines of next month's ASEAN summit, national media reported Wednesday.

The issue, however, is not on the agenda of the wider ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) talks and likely will not be raised by bloc members when they convene in Hua Hin, Thailand, on Feb. 27, Hun Sen was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post assaying.

He said that Cambodia would try to limit the effects of the conflict with Thailand, and expand cooperation with all neighboring countries.

"The dispute is in one place (Preah Vihear), so we should not expand it along our shared border," he said, adding that the dispute should not be allowed "to affect tourism, trade and the economy."

"Cambodia has no intention to take the Thai territory and will continue to be patient in resolving the issue bilaterally," Hun Sen said.

Tempers flared on the border after the Preah Vihear temple was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site last July, angering Thai nationalists who demanded that the then-government reclaim the territory that they claim was lost to Cambodia, including the 11th-century ruins and surrounding lands.

Cambodia and Thailand have never fully demarcated the 805-kilometer shared border.