"On the Thai-Cambodian border, Nattaphon insists on maintaining the barbed wire fence - his firm stance"
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In the Khok Sung district of Sa Kaeo province, tensions between Thailand and Cambodia remain high following the installation of razor wire barricades. The current situation involves ongoing disputes with Cambodian civilians, who have expressed pressure after the installation of the barriers.
The Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting between Thai and Cambodian forces, scheduled for August 27, was postponed at Cambodia's request. Despite this, Thailand continues to maintain and install barbed wire fences in contested areas as a security measure. No formal agreement to remove these fences was reached at the latest RBC meeting on August 22, 2025.
In August 2025, Thailand reinforced approximately 9.8 kilometers of barbed wire barriers, particularly in Sa Kaeo province, to curb illicit crossings and enhance border security. The Thai army has even appealed to the public for donations of razor wire due to budgetary and procedural delays in procurement.
The broader context of these barriers involves persistent border conflicts marked by clashes, mutual accusations of landmine usage, and a fragile 13-point ceasefire aiming at temporary stabilization but not a long-term resolution. Thailand has accused Cambodia of emplacing thousands of newly laid anti-personnel mines along the border, which Cambodia denies, further intensifying distrust between the two countries.
Looking ahead, removal or significant changes to the razor wire barriers depend on ongoing negotiations in higher-level bilateral forums (General Border Committee (GBC) and Joint Boundary Commission (JBC)). These bodies are tasked with addressing more complex security concerns beyond RBC mandates, where thorny issues such as landmines, military deployments, and sovereignty claims must be resolved for sustainable peace and demilitarization.
Meanwhile, the frontline border management remains cautious, with strict enforcement measures like checkpoint closures and enhanced fortifications continuing under military authority delegated from Thailand’s National Security Council earlier in 2025.
In summary:
- Razor wire barriers remain installed and reinforced (~9.8 km in Sa Kaeo) for security, with no agreed removal.
- Removal of the fences is being discussed only at higher committees (GBC, JBC), with no immediate action.
- Diplomatic negotiations are ongoing, but no agreement was reached at the latest RBC meeting.
- Border security dynamics remain volatile, with clashes, new mine accusations, checkpoint closures, and an ongoing ceasefire.
- The Thai military is actively securing the border, with public appeals for razor wire donations.
- The future of the razor wire barriers depends on complex, multi-layered diplomatic negotiations addressing broader border dispute issues.
The JBC is responsible for clarifying demarcation in due course. Cambodia uses the same negotiating team for all discussions, while Thailand deploys different teams for each command. The area at Ban Nong Chan falls under the jurisdiction of the JBC. Both the JBC and the RBC are involved in managing the Thai-Cambodian border situation.
The RBC talks reaffirmed the ceasefire, but Thailand urged demining and scam crackdown, which Cambodia was non-committal about. Cambodia refused to commit to landmine clearance and cracking down on cross-border scam operations during the RBC meeting. The 1st Army Region covers urban and community areas, while the 2nd Army Region covers forest zones.
Acting Defence Minister Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit addressed the Thai-Cambodian border situation on Monday, guaranteeing that the razor wire at Ban Nong Chan will not be dismantled while he is present in the meeting. Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit stated that the factors between the 1st Army Region and the 2nd Army Region are very different. The 1st Army Region and the 2nd Army Region have different factors, with the 1st Army Region covering urban and community areas, while the 2nd Army Region covers forest zones.
The Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting between the Chanthaburi-Trat Border Defence Command and Cambodia's 3rd Military Region, held on August 15-16, ended without agreement. The Thai-Cambodian RBC talks are crucial in finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing border disputes.
[1] Thai PBS World
[2] Bangkok Post
[3] Nation Thailand
[4] The Diplomat
[5] Reuters
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