Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippines, as incoming chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), welcomed the outcome of the third Special General Border Committee meeting between Cambodia and Thailand, expressing support for renewed efforts to ease tensions and pursue a peaceful settlement of the border dispute.
In a statement dated Dec. 29, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it noted the successful convening of the 3rd Special General Border Committee meeting held at Pruk in Cambodia’s Pailin province and Ban Park Krad in Thailand’s Chanthaburi province, where both sides issued a joint statement reaffirming the ceasefire.
“The Philippines fully supports the latest move by Cambodia and Thailand to return to a ceasefire and acknowledges the desire of both parties to return to dialogue and seek a peaceful and durable means to resolve the issue,” the DFA said.
The statement follows a renewed ceasefire agreed to over the weekend, easing tensions after weeks of deadly border clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbors.
In a Reuters report, authorities from both countries said fighting halted at noon Saturday, ending about 20 days of hostilities that killed at least 101 people and displaced more than half a million civilians on both sides of the border.
The clashes involved fighter jet sorties, rocket exchanges, and artillery barrages after a previous ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim collapsed earlier this month.
As part of the latest ceasefire agreement, Thailand committed to release 18 Cambodian soldiers in its custody once the truce was held for 72 hours. The handover was carried out Wednesday at a border checkpoint, following a one-day delay after Thailand alleged ceasefire violations that Cambodia denied.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which supervised the handover, said the release was a key step toward implementing the commitments in the joint statement.
The DFA said the Philippines remains committed to supporting ASEAN-led efforts to promote peace, stability and dialogue in the region as it prepares to assume the bloc’s chairmanship.
