After weeks of heightened tension along the Thai-Cambodian border, Cambodia has agreed to withdraw its troops from the disputed area following negotiations with the Royal Thai Army (RTA), Thai officials confirmed on Sunday.
RTA spokesperson Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree stated that Lieutenant General Srey Doek, Deputy Commander of the Cambodian Army and Commander of the 3rd Intervention Brigade, extended an invitation to Major General Sompop Pharawet, commander of Thailand’s Suranaree Task Force, to meet and discuss the border issue.
The meeting took place at 10am on Sunday.
According to Maj Gen Winthai, both sides agreed that Cambodian troops would pull back from the Chong Bok area to positions previously established in 2024.
He added that the soldiers will relocate specifically to the Tri Muk Pavilion, approximately 150 to 200 metres from the contested zone, where they had been based in the past.
In addition, Cambodia agreed to fill in trenches that Thai authorities claim extended 200 metres into Thai territory. The action, Winthai said, is intended “to reduce tension and create an atmosphere of cooperation.”
He further noted that both nations had agreed to use the local border committee mechanism to manage the area sustainably, with regular weekly meetings scheduled to maintain communication.
The breakthrough follows weeks of defiant rhetoric from top Cambodian officials, including Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet, who had previously insisted that Cambodian troops would remain in the area, which Phnom Penh claims as its own.
The disputed territory lies within the tri-border area of Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, commonly referred to as the Emerald Triangle or Mom Bei in Khmer, and became a flashpoint on 28 May, when a clash reportedly led to the death of a Cambodian soldier. Thai authorities have described the incident as accidental.
Thailand had warned on Saturday that Cambodia’s refusal to withdraw could escalate the situation, citing a 2000 Memorandum of Understanding which prohibits either side from altering the border terrain.
Rejecting Thailand’s call to resolve the dispute through the Joint Boundary Committee (JBC), Hun Sen announced that Cambodia would instead seek intervention from the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
He stated that Cambodia would bring not only this case but also other unresolved border issues—such as those surrounding MoMom Bei, Ta Moan Thom Temple, Ta Moan Tauch Temple, and Ta Krabei Temple, before the ICJ.
Thailand, however, has rejected the ICJ’s jurisdiction in the matter.
Despite these differences, both countries are expected to attend a meeting under the JBC framework this Saturday, though the specific agenda has not yet been disclosed.
