Thailand favours direct talks to end Cambodia conflict, rather than mediation

BANGKOK – Thailand favours bilateral negotiation rather than third-party mediation to resolve its military conflict with Cambodia, two Thai officials said on July 25, as fighting along their disputed border continued unabated.

Simmering border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have flared into open hostilities at multiple locations along the front line,  in the heaviest fighting between the South-east Asian neighbours in over a decade.

There were exchanges of artillery for a second straight day on July 25.

At least 16 people, most of them Thai civilians, have died so far in the heaviest fighting between the South-east Asian neighbours in over a decade.

The United States, China and Malaysia, which is the current chair of the Asean regional bloc, have offered to facilitate dialogue but Bangkok is seeking a bilateral solution to the conflict, Thai foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told Reuters.

“I don’t think we need any mediation from a third country yet,” he said in an interview.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the chair of 10-nation Asean, of which both Thailand and Cambodia are members, said on July 24 he had spoken to the leaders of both countries and urged them to find a peaceful resolution.

“We appreciate (the offer) and we don’t want to rule out having a third country to help, but right now we believe that bilateral mechanisms have not been exhausted,” Thai vice-minister for foreign affairs Russ Jalichandra told reporters.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said in a social media post late on July 25 that both Thailand and Cambodia had initially agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Malaysia a day earlier, but Thailand later reversed its decision.

The Thai government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Mr Hun Manet’s remarks.

Cambodia and Thailand accuse each other of starting the conflict early on July 24 at a disputed site, which quickly escalated from small arms fire to heavy shelling along a border where sovereignty has been disputed for more than a century.

“We stand by our position that bilateral mechanism is the best way out. This is a confrontation between the two countries,” Mr Nikorndej said, adding that the Cambodian side must stop violence along the border first.

“Our doors are still open.”

Mr Hun Manet asked the United Nations Security Council on July 24 to convene a meeting on the issue, condemning what he called “unprovoked and premeditated military aggression” by Thailand. 

The body has said it will hold a closed-door meeting to discuss the issue on July 25.   

The fighting broke out a day after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh on July 23 and expelled Cambodia's envoy in response to landmine explosions that injured Thai soldiers. 

Thai authorities allege that the mines had been laid recently by Cambodia, a charge dismissed by Phnom Penh as baseless. REUTERS