Cambodia and Thailand Thursday dismissed reports of border negotiations, as Thai officials insisted checkpoints would remain closed under the existing policy, while Phnom Penh reiterated its position and emphasised domestic resilience and supply sufficiency.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Pairoj Fuangchan, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, said “closed means closed”, stressing there would be no temporary reopening or compromise under any circumstances.
He dismissed reports of talks to reopen a checkpoint in Trat province, which borders Cambodia’s Koh Kong and Pursat provinces, saying he had received no such briefing and remained aligned with government policy.
The Navy Chief reiterated that no formal request had been made by Cambodia to reopen crossings, adding that the navy would not deviate from official directives despite reports of back-channel discussions.
On Wednesday, Senate President Hun Sen stressed that Cambodia has sufficient domestic supply to withstand the closure, while calling for stronger cooperation between both sides to curb all trade and highlighting opportunities to boost local production.
Earlier that day, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that there had been no coordination or reports regarding reopening crossings in Chanthaburi, which borders Cambodia’s Koh Kong province, and Trat provinces, emphasising that it was ‘not yet time’ to resume operations.
- Tags: border conflict, National
