Thai-Cambodian joint meeting fails to agree on border demarcation

A meeting of the Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JCB) between Thailand and Cambodia Wednesday failed to agree on issues of border demarcation and name of the ancient temple in the center of the two countries' border dispute.

The two sides announced at a JBC press conference they could not sign a memory of understanding (MOU) concerning the two points which were discussed at the meeting organized in Bangkok.

Var Kim Hong, Cambodia senior Minister in charge of Border Affairs said: "We tried hard to find compromised solutions for the interest of the two countries. But, we don't agree in some points, which are needed to be discussed and clarified."

The two sides could not agree on the name of the ancient temple as it is called Preah Vihear by Cambodia while Thailand calls it Phra Viharn, cited Hong.

Thailand has proposed to use the name of Preah Vihear/Phra Viharn, co-chair of Thai side Vasin Teeravechyan said.

Also, the meeting failed to name a joint patrol around the ancient temple as Thailand has proposed to call the "military monitoring groups" while Cambodia has suggested to call the "temporary coordinating team."

Vasin said the next JBC meeting will be held during the second week of April this year in Cambodia.

In October last year Cambodian and Thai troops exchanged fire on their disputed border area, killing two and wounding a dozen.

Prior to the clash, the ownership of the ancient temple caused both sides to maintain military stalemate near the border for weeks.

Rounds of meetings were held, but all failed to find common ground on the border issues to break the stand-off. The two countries have 790-km-long border line, but only with 73 border posts.