Royal Thai Army soldiers are transported on the back of an army truck in the Thai border province of Si Sa Ket on July 26. — AFP/VNA Photo

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Ministry of Defence has confirmed it has formally requested a change of venue for the upcoming General Border Committee (GBC) meeting with Cambodia, proposing Malaysia as a neutral location.

The move comes as Cambodia extended an invitation for the talks to be hosted by Phnom Penh.

Speaking on Thursday, Rear Admiral Surasan Kongsiri, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, confirmed that Cambodia had invited General Natthapon Nakpanich, Deputy Defence Minister (acting as Defence Minister), to attend the GBC meeting on August 4, with Cambodia as the host.

However, Rear Admiral Surasan stated that from Thailand’s perspective, it is standard international practice not to hold meetings between conflicting parties in one of the disputing nations.

He cited the example of Ukraine and Russia, who do not convene in countries directly involved in their conflict.

He confirmed that Malaysia is being proposed as the third-party venue, as it already acts as a coordinator in regional affairs.

When asked if the proposed dates for the meeting (August 4-7) would remain the same, the Defence Ministry spokesperson indicated that Thailand had only just completed sending its official request to both Cambodian and Malaysian authorities.

Regarding the likelihood of Cambodia accepting the proposal, Rear Admiral Surasan described the move as “proactive” on Thailand’s part.

He stated that Thailand is awaiting Cambodia’s response to the proposed change of venue. — The Nation/ANN