Malaysia Calls For Lasting Peace As Thai-Cambodian Border Tensions Ease

By Kenny Teng Khoon Hock

BANGKOK, Aug 1 (Bernama) -- The Royal Thai Army (RTA) on Friday led a delegation of foreign military attachés and diplomats to visit conflict-affected areas in Si Sa Ket province, along the Thai-Cambodian border.

The Malaysian Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to Thailand, Bong Yik Jui, said the visit had allowed members of the delegation to witness firsthand the extent of the damage and its impact on local communities.

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“Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair, genuinely hopes that peace will be restored between the two close neighbours, as soon as possible, so that border communities can return to normal life,” he told Bernama when contacted on Friday.

Bong said he was informed that residents living near the border are currently unable to return to their homes due to the presence of landmines planted in unidentified locations in the surrounding area.

He also expressed his deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the conflict.

“We look forward to a productive General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

He hoped both sides would reach a permanent ceasefire and complete demining efforts, enabling internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return home safely as soon as possible.

Malaysia’s Defence Attaché, Brigadier General Samsul Rizal Musa, who also joined the visit, described the situation at the border as tragic, particularly for civilians and children.

He said the visit enabled delegates to better understand the on-the-ground realities.

“I hope the ceasefire holds in the long term and that no further conflict will occur between Thailand and Cambodia,” he said.

The RTA-organised delegation to the Thai-Cambodian border included 105 participants – comprising ambassadors and deputy chiefs of mission from 11 countries, as well as military attachés from 23 nations based in Bangkok.

Tensions along the border escalated from a brief skirmish on May 28 into armed conflict on July 24.

On Monday (July 29), Thailand and Cambodia agreed to implement immediate and unconditional ceasefire following a special meeting in Putrajaya, hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in his capacity as ASEAN Chair.

The GBC, scheduled to convene in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 5, is expected to be attended by defence attachés from ASEAN countries, as well as from the US and China. 

-- BERNAMA