Post by : Meena Ariff

Efforts by Cambodia and Thailand to move forward with the next Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting have hit a temporary roadblock, as both sides failed to agree on key documents required for future planning. The deadlock followed three days of discussions between the two countries’ secretariat teams, the Ministry of National Defence confirmed.

Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata said on January 29 that the meeting between Cambodia’s 5th Military Region and Thailand’s 1st Army Area had formally concluded without a signed agreement. She did not disclose the specific issues that caused the disagreement.

The talks were held from January 27 to January 29 at the Poipet International Border Checkpoint in Banteay Meanchey province, directly across from Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province. Cambodia’s delegation was led by Major General Sor Kimpak, head of the Cambodian RBC Secretariat, while Major General Pittayakul Posuwan led the Thai side. ASEAN Observer Teams from both countries monitored the discussions.

According to Socheata, since neither side was able to reach common ground, both delegations agreed to return to their respective headquarters. They will continue exchanging documents and holding further discussions until a consensus is achieved. Only after that will a formal signing ceremony be arranged, paving the way for the next RBC meeting.

The RBC special meeting serves as a regional military-level platform focused on border-related security and cooperation. The recent talks were guided by the spirit of the Joint Statement issued during the 3rd Special Meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) on December 27, 2025, when both countries agreed to a ceasefire that ended the latest round of border clashes.

Socheata added that the GBC agreement commits both Cambodia and Thailand to lowering tensions along the border and strengthening practical cooperation, with the goal of restoring normal conditions and ensuring long-term peace and stability between the two neighboring nations.

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