Cambodia and Thailand have begun implementing a disarmament agreement brokered by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), marking a significant step toward easing tensions along their border after a month of clashes earlier this year.
The accord, signed under ASEAN’s supervision, follows a ceasefire reached on August 7. Military leaders from both countries met on October 31 “to restore mutual trust and stability along the border,” ASEAN said in a statement.
Under the plan, the first phase of weapons removal will continue through November, with a second phase scheduled for December.
The disarmament covers multiple rocket launchers, artillery, tanks, and combat vehicles. Both sides have also agreed to regularly report their progress “to ensure transparency, accountability, and confidence in the implementation.”
Jesuit missionary Fr. Enrique Figaredo, Apostolic Prefect of Battambang — a province bordering Thailand — said the agreement “encourages us and fills us with hope.”
“The Cambodian people sense a new atmosphere, one that is changing for the better,” he said in an interview with the Vatican’s Fides News Agency.
Fr. Figaredo noted that the border remains closed, adding that “there are no exchanges or border crossings, which affects the economic activities that once flourished between the two countries, especially regarding trade and also the movement of workers.”
He observed that “it seems that in Thailand there is a political approach more inclined toward peace, and in Cambodia we are pleased about this. A possibility of peace is emerging.”
Despite the optimism, many Cambodians remain displaced by the conflict. About 100,000 internally displaced people in refugee camps are waiting to return to their homes, “while the territory is completely militarized, and they long to resume their activities.”
“As Catholics, peace between Cambodia and Thailand is part of our daily prayers and the prayer intentions at Mass,” he said.
