Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, left, is welcomed by Teera Slukpetch, Thailand's minister for culture, right, as he arrives for the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand summit, at the U-Tapao airport, near Pattaya, Thailand, on Friday, April 10, 2009.
(AP Photo/Udo Weitz, Pool)The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia agreed here on Friday during their bilateral meeting that the two neighboring countries will work more closely in order to prevent new border clashes, according to Panitan Wattanayakorn, Thai Prime Minister's Deputy Secretary-General.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen met on the sideline on Friday of the ASEAN Summit and related summits April 10 to 12, in beach resort Pattaya of Thailand's central province Chonburi.
The two sides have agreed to better organza future security border patrol of their own in a way to avoid misunderstanding and prevent new clashes," said Panitan.
The latest two rounds of border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia broke out last Friday when soldiers from each side fired at each other near the ancient 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, causing casualties on both sides.
However, Panitan conceded that the border dispute between the two countries will take time to solve since the conflict has existed since the colonial period.
The two neighboring countries have disputed over the border demarcation in areas around Preah Vihear temple, which the Hague International Court ruled in 1962 to belong to Cambodia. The temple in July last year listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, bringing fresh protests in Thailand and border military clashes.
Apart from the border issue, the two leaders also agreed to boost their bilateral trade and investment and to mutually invest in infrastructure projects, including road construction, said Panitan.
Abhisit plans to officially visit Cambodia on April 18, said Panitan.
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