Thailand, Cambodia sign deal on border solutions to support AC

BANGKOK, February 15 (TNA) - Thailand and neighbouring Cambodia, through their Regional Border Commission (RBC), have signed a memorandum of agreements on border solutions to support their participation in the Single Community of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), set to be established by 2015. Lieutenant General Paiboon Khumchaya, Commander of Thailand’s 1st Army Area Command, and General Bun Seng, Commander of Cambodia’s 5th Military Sector, inked the deal in Bangkok on Friday, after a two-day meeting of the Thai-Cambodian RBC, the 21st of its kind, during which they co-chaired. The 21st Thai-Cambodian RBC Meeting discussed security, economic, social and cultural preparations for the two neighbouring countries' participation in the ASEAN Community (AC) by 2015. On security cooperation, they agreed to work out measures to prevent untoward incidents along the Thai-Cambodian border and to conduct joint border patrols to prevent all kinds of crime, jointly clear explosives and landmines along the common border, including economic zones, and set up a joint information center to exchange data on transnational crime and terrorism. To handle possible disputes, both sides agreed to set up clear contact points for each other’s officers in border areas and to solve border problems through the RBC. To promote peace, both sides also agreed to implement their village empowerment projects, organize sports activities to further boost bilateral relations, jointly develop basic infrastructure in border villages and foster relations between leaders of military units and communities along the common border. The Thai and Cambodian military commanders are to report the agreement to their supervisors for further consideration on security preparations for both countries' participations in the AC over the next two years. (TNA)