Thailand has made clear it will not attend this weekend’s round of border talks unless Cambodia submits a plan to move its citizens out of three Thai border villages by the deadline on Tuesday night.
The Royal Thai Army posted a Facebook message on Tuesday morning reiterating its intention to boycott the Regional Boundary Committee (RBC) meeting scheduled in Poipet from Friday to Sunday unless the Thai condition is met.
Cambodia’s Military Region 5 would host the meeting with leaders of the 1st Army Region, which is responsible for the border in Sa Kaeo.
The Thai regional team had demanded Cambodia present a plan to vacate structures erected on Thai soil in three villages in Sa Kaeo province no later than Tuesday. The villages are Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaeo in Khok Sung district and Ban Ta Phraya in Ta Phraya district.
The latest Thai position was posted as the deadline approached. The Cambodian side had earlier, on Sunday, rejected the Thai condition.
“The RBC meeting will not take place due to no additional agenda items to end the problems on the Thai-Cambodian border,” the 1st Army Region said.
Cambodia has dismissed the Thai call and is preparing to counter Thailand’s move to evict Cambodians from the Thai villages after the deadline passes.