Thai Boundary Committee Convenes Ahead of Cambodia Talks on Border Demarcation

Thailand's Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) has been activated, with a high-level Thai delegation, headed by Prasat Prasatwinijchai, a former Thai Ambassador to Phnom Penh, set to hold preparatory talks before engaging with their Cambodian counterparts on border issues.

The bilateral meeting is scheduled for June 14 in the Cambodian capital.

Reports on Tuesday confirmed that the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Committee (Thai side) holds the mandate to consider and negotiate land border disputes between the two nations.

This includes the crucial tasks of surveying and demarcating the land boundary.

The committee is also empowered to establish subcommittees and working groups as deemed necessary to facilitate its operations.

The composition of the Thai committee is robust, featuring representatives from various key government and military branches:

• Prasat Prasatwinijchai, former Thai Ambassador to Phnom Penh, serves as the Committee Chairperson.
• The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or their designated representative, acts as the Vice Chairperson.

Committee members include:

• The Secretary-General of the National Security Council, or their representative.
   
• The current Thai Ambassador to Phnom Penh, or their representative.
• The Director-General of the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs.
• The Director-General of the Department of East Asian Affairs, or their representative.
• The Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration, or their representative.
• The Director-General of the Royal Thai Survey Department, or their representative.
• The Director-General of the Hydrographic Department, or their representative.
• The Commander of the Border Patrol Police, or their representative.
• The Deputy Director-General of the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs.
• A representative from the Ministry of Interior.
• A representative from the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters.
• A representative from the Royal Thai Army.
• A representative from the Royal Thai Navy.

The Director of the Boundary Division within the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs will serve as both a Commissioner and Secretary, supported by an official from the same department as a Commissioner and Assistant Secretary.

Additionally, on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed the appointment of General Songwit Noonpakdee, the Chief of Defence Forces, as an advisor to the committee, underscoring the strategic importance of the upcoming discussions.

Sources indicate that a small-group meeting of the Thai Joint Boundary Committee was expected to take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within one or two days of the report, to finalise preparations for the crucial talks in Phnom Penh.