Anutin requested to wait for the results of the General Border Committee (GBC) negotiations before submitting the matter to today's National Security Council (NSC) meeting. He reacted sharply to media questions about whether forces must withdraw from areas already controlled, affirming that Thailand is establishing territorial integrity and that what belongs to Thailand must remain ours.
26 Dec 2025 GMT+7 Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, commented on the National Security Council (NSC) meeting, saying he has yet to follow up on the progress of the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting. The meeting is being led by Lieutenant General Natthapong Praokaew, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters and chair of the Thai GBC Secretariat, who is currently negotiating. He reported that if everything proceeds smoothly, the matter will be brought to the NSC so that the Minister of Defence can participate in signing.
Regarding whether a conclusion would be reached, since Cambodia wants to revert to the original Kuala Lumpur Declaration agreement, Anutin said the Kuala Lumpur Declaration contains nothing detrimental, such as troop withdrawals or how and where withdrawals occur. He stated that the policy is that Thailand has not violated the Kuala Lumpur Declaration, but Thailand has been repeatedly shot at. Therefore, any withdrawal or ceasefire will be reserved, and if Cambodia withdraws first, Thailand will follow.
When asked, if, according to the Kuala Lumpur Declaration, Thailand must withdraw forces from areas it has taken control of, Anutin said there is no such written clause. He emphasized that Thailand has not occupied but is establishing security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity on our land. He added that such questions from the media cause public misunderstanding and complicate negotiations, stressing that what belongs to us must remain ours.
Reporters further asked that during the GBC meeting, Cambodia continued to place landmines around the Ta Kwai temple area, which Thailand has established control over. Anutin replied that Cambodia had placed them long ago, which is addressed in Clause 2 of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration, requiring the clearing of as many landmines as possible, and requested not to dwell on this issue. . We do not want to lose even an inch of territory, let alone a foot. This is how we assert Thailand’s sovereignty; it is not a matter of acting arbitrarily. .