Thailand will not reopen its border with Cambodia until four key conditions are met, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced on Tuesday. Speaking in Kuala Lumpur, Anutin made clear that diplomatic relations must first be restored before any reopening can take place.
The four conditions outlined by Thailand include the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the border, landmine clearance, suppression of cross-border criminal syndicates, and resolution of local border conflicts. He said Cambodia has begun withdrawing its weapons following the recent peace agreement but urged that the process be “swift and concrete.”
Anutin also emphasized the importance of landmine removal, noting that Thai experts would take the lead as most mines are located within Thai territory. He stated that Thailand would release 18 detained Cambodian soldiers once tangible progress is made.
Defense Minister Gen. Nattaphon Narkphanit confirmed that both nations had started weapon withdrawals in three planned phases over six weeks, with Cambodia expected to remove its BM-21 rocket launchers. The prime minister reiterated that reopening the border would only be possible once all four conditions and full diplomatic normalization are achieved.