Prayut Chan-O-Cha has confirmed that the Thai military have not yet signed a permanent ceasefire agreement

BANGKOK, 23 February 2011 (NNT) – Army Commander-In-Chief General Prayut Chan-O-Cha has confirmed that the Thai military have not yet signed a permanent ceasefire agreement with the Cambodian side as rumoured.

General Prayut dismissed the report that Army Chief-of-Staff General Dapong Rattanasuwan had signed the permanent ceasefire agreement with Cambodia in his recent meeting with Cambodian military leaders. He said General Dapong just talked with the Cambodian side to prevent further clashes along the 800-kilometer border.

The army chief stated that solutions to the Preah Vihear dispute should be made via the frameworks of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Commission (JBC) and the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting.

General Prayut said the military understand the situation very well and will not do anything to put Thailand at a disadvantage regarding national sovereignty.

Upon a news report that ASEAN will send its representatives to observe the operation of Thai troops along the border, the army chief said he has already assigned the Second Army Region to prepare sites to be visited and other arrangements to welcome ASEAN representatives.

Regarding the visit of military attachés from 14 countries to the border province of Si Sa Ket early this week, General Prayut deemed it a very good opportunity for Thailand to express its sincerity and present facts on cross-border fightings. He said the military attachés had expressed satisfaction upon completion of their visit.