BANGKOK/KUALA LUMPUR – Cambodia and Thailand agreed on a set of measures on Aug 7 aimed at bolstering a critical ceasefire between the two neighbouring countries, including allowing an interim team of Asean observers to monitor disputed border areas.

But fundamental differences at the heart of the border conflict remain unresolved, analysts say.

Top defence officials from both countries met in Kuala Lumpur and

jointly signed a 13-point document

outlining commitments not to move or reinforce troops and weapons along the disputed border, not to undertake any provocative actions that may escalate tensions, and to refrain from disseminating disinformation, among other measures.

Under the agreement, defence attaches from Asean member nations, led by Malaysia, will “observe, on each side, the implementations of the ceasefire on a regular basis”.

“We are here for a detailed ceasefire arrangement to stop bloodshed and the suffering by soldiers and civilians of both sides,” Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Seiha told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.

“The steps are life-saving measures and lay groundwork for restoring confidence, trust and normalcy between our two countries.”

The so-called General Border Committee meeting on Aug 7 was preceded by three days of preliminary talks, and was also attended on the fourth and final day by China and the United States as observers.

It follows

agreed on July 28 between Cambodia and Thailand – also brokered in Malaysia – after a five-day conflict. It was the worst flare-up in the region in over a decade, and claimed at least 43 lives and displaced more than 300,000 people from both sides of the border.

“The monitors are essential,” said professor of international relations Thitinan Pongsudhirak of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. “If there are no outside monitors physically on the ground, the probability, the risk of return to violence, to military confrontation, will still be high; it’s still very tense now.”

Analysts said the outcome of the meeting was a step in the right direction in terms of boosting confidence in what is widely regarded as a fragile truce, with tensions strained among the massed troops at the border still harbouring a deep distrust of the opposing camp. And fundamental disagreements at the heart of the border conflict remain unresolved, they added.

“This is another step to make sure that the ceasefire that you agreed in the first place is really effective, that both sides be committed, and to make sure it’s not a fragile agreement,” said Mr Chhay Lim, deputy director at the Centre for South-east Asian Studies at the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

“But the ceasefire is just an immediate solution to the fighting... the next step that is the long-term solution – you still need to resolve the root cause of the problem,” he added.

The longstanding border dispute between the two South-east Asian countries, which previously erupted in 2011, stems from historical disagreements over the interpretation of colonial-era maps. The most recent round of tensions was sparked by a brief skirmish that

resulted in a Cambodian soldier being shot dead

on May 28.

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Thailand has long favoured direct bilateral negotiations with Cambodia, while Cambodia has opted to pursue international arbitration via the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

“After they (these two countries) fully implement the ceasefire and agree to withdraw the troops from the disputed area, then the next step should be, what should we do with our unfinished border demarcation... and it’s another difficult job to talk about after that,” Mr Lim said.

Thailand’s co-chairman of the border committee, Deputy Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit, told reporters in Kuala Lumpur that Cambodia continued to contribute to tensions on the ground by deploying additional troops and operating unmanned aerial vehicles at the border, as well as spreading disinformation.

“These are provocative actions that could lead to misunderstandings,” General Nattaphon said. “However, from the meeting, the Cambodian side at policy level has shown its sincerity to the ceasefire agreement. The violations of the ceasefire, as mentioned prior, may be arbitrary acts by the military units in the area.”

Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (centre), Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Seiha (fifth from left), Thai Deputy Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit (fifth from right) and delegates in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 7.

PHOTO: AFP

The truce has been heralded as a win for Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in his capacity as Asean chair, and for the regional grouping, though US President Donald Trump has also been quick to

by using trade tariffs as leverage.

Datuk Seri Anwar said the latest meeting was “meaningful” and resulted in a key consensus to sustain dialogue and uphold the ceasefire along the Thai-Cambodian border.

“Both sides also reached several important agreements, including full adherence to the ceasefire without any form of aggression, no increase or repositioning of troops, avoidance of provocative actions and a firm commitment to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun said it was incumbent on Malaysia, as Asean chair, to exercise some degree of leadership in moderating the differences between member states.

“For Asean, it needs to buttress its credibility in security matters, not least being able to ensure its internal peace in order to maintain the notion of Asean centrality,” he added.

Independent geopolitical analyst and Viewfinder Global Affairs managing director Adib Zalkapli said Malaysia would continue to play a key role as mediator as long as both countries recognised it as such.

“Malaysia is a credible and ideal third party in this case, it’s the Asean chair (for 2025) and, most importantly, it is accepted by both Cambodia and Thailand as an honest broker,” Mr Adib said.

“In the long term, the resolution of the issue depends a lot on the domestic politics of both Cambodia and Thailand,” he added.

Thailand and Cambodia said in a joint statement on Aug 7 that they would hold more talks in two weeks, and then again in a month.

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