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Tensions in the Cambodia-Thai border conflict, begun July 15, 2008, have notably reduced during the 13th month of the episode as both nations’ leaders pledged to cooperate and promote development at the border.
High ranking military and civilian officials exchanged official trips recently. A two-day official visit from supreme commander of Thai army to Cambodia in August 24 saw significant agreements with Cambodia is over border demarcation.
Another development came after Cambodian Deputy Prime Ministry Hor Namhong attended the Cambodia -Thai Cooperation Summit in Thailand on August 5.
Both the Cambodian and Thai Governments have agreed to extend bilateral cooperation to avoid the possibility of armed conflict at the border near the Cambodian temple of Preah Viear, a Cambodian diplomatic official said.
Hor Namhong, minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, arrived home August 5 after his two-day official visit to Thailand. He said the trip had been fruitful. “Agreements have been signed to open a border crossing at Boeng Snor commune, Banteay Meanchey province, to exchange prisoners and promise to continue to resolve the border conflict.”

Hor Namhong told reporters upon his delegates’ arrival that he and his Thai FM counterpart Kasit Piromya´s meetings were conducted in a cordial and constructive atmosphere reflecting the current state of good and close neighborliness and cooperation for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

The two nations have agreed to enhance cooperation on education, culture, labor, public health, social affairs, justice, science and technology, telecommunications, tourism, trade, investment, cooperative finance, transportation, civil aviation, industry, mines and energy, oil and gas, agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced he will cut troop levels at the area of attempted Thai encroachment around Cambodia’s Khmer Preah Vihear Temple in response to a similar move by Thailand.
Opposite Pursat province, Thailand has recently cut the number of its soldiers to just 30, the Cambodian premier said. He did not specify how many Cambodian soldiers would be withdrawn.
“We have a plan to change the deployment a little,” Hun Sen said. “If anything happened, it wouldn’t take long to send our troops up again, but I hope there won’t be any fighting there.”
“In our modern age, we need to discuss matters with each other and we do not want to see people shed their blood.”
Tensions at the border are easing and both sides plan to measure areas for border demarcation soon.
The last bearing fruitful result of the two nation conflict also made during Songkiti Jaggap Batara, supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces to Cambodia for two days kicked off on August 24 this week.
In a remarkable defusing of the tense Cambodia-Thai military standoff around Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Temple, army chiefs on Monday agreed to boost cooperation in development of border areas to improve living standards of the citizens of both countries. Cambodian troop deployments were said to have been scaled back.
A meeting between two senior army commander chiefs came following a two-day official visit from Songkiti Jaggap Batara, supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, to Cambodia. He met with Pol Saroeun, Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) Commander in Chief, in Phnom Penh.
Songkiti Jaggap Batara said he wanted to strengthen the relationship between the two parties, and to show solidarity to international community. “We solve all matters in safe ways and the Thai Government is making efforts to boost a good relationship among the parties,” said Songkiti Jaggap Batara at the meeting.
“Thailand welcomes Cambodian soldiers for any official visit and study tour at any time,” he added.

In response, Pol Saroeun remarked that, “We do not care what is published in newspapers as Cambodia’s stance is to solve safely.”
Troop deployments had been reduced in some areas as directed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. The troops have apparently been moved to help cultivation during the rainy season.
Cambodian CIC Pol Saroeun also asked Thailand to support rice cultivation and for Thai businessmen to buy Cambodian farmers’ products.
Cambodia asked that Thai soldiers be tolerant of rural Cambodians who travel across the border to cut trees on Thai territory. The Thai army chief said he would command respectful behavior.
The two parties agreed to develop infrastructure at the border t promote business.
The situation at the border is be normal, a senior army official told DAP News Cambodia on Monday.
“The two sides’ soldiers have a good relationship,” said Srey Doeuk, commander of Cambodia’s Preah Vihear forces.
Both nations have had soldiers killed and wounded in clashes in the area since mid-2008, when the temple was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, the UN’s cultural body.
The violence drove relations between the two ASEAN members to a low point and caused concern among other members of the regional bloc.
In an effort to show the situation is less fractious, Thai and Cambodian soldiers based at the 11th-century temple took part Tuesday in a joint religious ceremony in Kampong Thom province.
Most of view expects that the border at Cambodia´s Preah Vihear temple which kicked off while Cambodia´s Preah Vihear temple was inscribed as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008 will be eased tension gradually. A following week, Thai soldiers encroached illegally into Cambodia´s territory.