Cabinet Approves Redeployment to Build Confidence
Pending further talks with Cambodia

                        On 29 July 2008, H.E. Mr. Tej Bunnag, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, presented to the Thai Cabinet the recommendations reached by Thailand and Cambodia regarding a provisional arrangement to be undertaken pending survey and demarcation of their common border by the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission. This follows from the meeting with H.E. Mr. Hor Namhong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia, in Siem Reap on 28 July 2008.

                        Recognizing that conclusion of the provisional arrangement would take more time, as Thailand would have to meet certain constitutional and domestic legal requirements, the Thai agencies concerned met twice – an operational level meeting of the National Security Council on 31 July 2008; and a meeting among representatives from the Supreme Command Headquarters, the Royal Thai Army and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 1 August 2008 – to discuss how to avoid the possibility of armed confrontation.  A recommendation was subsequently submitted to the Thai Cabinet to propose to the Cambodian Government to undertake, as a confidence-building measure, a redeployment of troops on both sides from the “Keo Sikha Kiri Svara” Pagoda, the area surrounding the Pagoda, and the Temple of Preah Vihear. The redeployment on the Thai side would be conducted as necessary to reduce tensions while maintaining sufficient troops to protect Thailand’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the area.

                        The Thai Cabinet approved the recommendation on 5 August 2008 and designated the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters and the Royal Thai Army to discuss details of the proposal with representatives of the Cambodian Armed Forces, through the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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6 August 2008