Thailand will not return 18 Cambodian soldiers captured during deadly border clashes until Phnom Penh meets agreed conditions, Defence Minister Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit said on Friday.
Gen Nattaphon said no specific date had been set for the release, though Nov 12 was a possible target if Cambodia withdrew heavy weapons from the frontier and allowed Thailand to conduct landmine clearance in five designated areas.
The minister did not specify the five locations earmarked for clearance but confirmed earlier that the area surrounding Prasat Ta Kwai was not among them.
He added that Cambodia had approached Thailand regarding efforts to meet the two conditions by next week – earlier than the Nov 21 deadline.
‘The quicker Cambodia fulfils the conditions, the quicker their soldiers will be released,’ Gen Nattaphon said at Government House.
Reports on Thursday suggested the prisoners of war would be freed on Nov 12 at the Ban Phak Kad checkpoint in Pong Nam Ron district, Chanthaburi.
The 18 soldiers were detained in the early hours of July 29 in Kantharalak district, Si Sa Ket province, following a clash between Thai and Cambodian troops over disputed border zones, despite an agreed ceasefire after July 28.
The peace accord, signed by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 26, stipulates that prisoners of war will be released once both nations demonstrate ‘effective implementation’ of measures to de-escalate border tensions.
‘Further, as a demonstration of Thailand’s desire to promote mutual confidence and trust, Thailand undertakes to promptly release the prisoners of war,’ the joint declaration states.