Cambodia dismantles structure in disputed area

Cambodia dismantles structure in disputed area

The Nation

August 7, 2016 

Cambodian authorities have admitted to dismantling the structure that encroached on a dispute area on the Thai-Cambodian border in Surin.

Thai and Cambodian local authorities met on Saturday to find a solution to the disputed area along the border after the construction of a henhouse on the overlapping area between the two countries, resulting in the Thai Immigration temporarily closing the Chong Chom border crossing at Kap Choeng district.

Maj-General Sonthaya Sricharoen, commander of the Suranaree Army, said that as the Cambodian side had built the structure on the disputed zone, officers from Thai-Cambodian Border Coordination Centre tried to negotiate with Cambodian officers to dismantle the building. When talks failed to resolve the situation, Thai authorities decided to close the border crossing.

After the border was closed, the Thai and Cambodian officers held a meeting to discuss a solution to the conflict.

It was reported after the meeting that the construction of the henhouse on the overlapping area was done personally by the immigration officer at Osmach Border Crossing on the Cambodian side and this construction was never reported to the higher chain of command. 

In the end, the Cambodian side agreed to dismantle the building, hence the Thai border crossing was reopened.

Surin Governor Attaporn Singhavichai disclosed after the meeting that the area was the overlapped the two countries, and there was an agreement between the two sides that both will not build anything there.

Attaporn said the atmosphere of the meeting was relaxed. Cambodia said it had dismantled the building and assured there would be no further encroachment into the area.