BANGKOK:Thailand said Saturday talks with neighbour Cambodia had “made progress” in resolving a long-running border dispute that last month devolved into clashes.
Troops from the two countries exchanged fire on May 28 in an area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet, with one Cambodian soldier killed.
The Thai and Cambodian armies both said they had acted in self-defence, but agreed to reposition their soldiers to avoid confrontations.
Thailand has tightened border controls with Cambodia in recent days, while Cambodia ordered troops on Friday to stay on “full alert”.
Officials from the two countries had agreed to resolve the spat at a Saturday meeting in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.
Foreign ministry adviser Prasas Prasasvinitchai was leading the Thai delegation, while Lam Chea, minister of state in charge of the Secretariat of Border Affairs, headed the Cambodian contingent.
Thailand’s foreign ministry on Saturday said the meeting had “made progress in building mutual understanding” between the two countries.
Thai foreign ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura said in a press conference that “diplomatic dialogue remains the most effective way forward”, adding that talks would go into Sunday.
The row dates to the drawing of the 800-kilometre (500-mile) frontier, largely done during the French occupation of Indochina.
The region has seen sporadic violence since 2008, resulting in at least 28 deaths.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced earlier this month that Cambodia would file a complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over four disputed border areas, including the site of the latest clash.
Hun Manet said in a Facebook post Friday that the four areas and the border restrictions would not be discussed at Saturday’s talks.
“Cambodia awaits Thailand to clarify its official position at (Saturday’s) meeting on whether Thailand will join Cambodia in referring the four areas to the ICJ,“ he said.
The ICJ ruled in 2013 that a disputed area next to Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, but Thailand says it does not accept the ICJ’s jurisdiction.
