RBC meeting nearly collapsed, resumed after Cambodia’s late arrival

The Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting on Thursday (August 21) nearly collapsed before resuming at midnight, following a delay after Cambodia's delegation requested an additional hour to review documents. 

The meeting, originally scheduled for 2.00pm at the 19th Military District Club in Sa Kaeo province, was delayed due to Cambodia’s late arrival.

Before the scheduled time, Thailand was informed by the Cambodian head of the RBC secretariat that the delegation had not yet crossed the border into Thailand and needed time to review the meeting documents. 

Only six Cambodian officials had arrived in advance, crossing the border at the Klong Luk Permanent Border Crossing in Aranyaprathet district.

This led to rumours that the meeting might collapse, but at 11.56pm, a Cambodian delegation of about 10 people, led by the Deputy Commander of the Fifth Military Region, who is also the head of Cambodia’s RBC secretariat, arrived at the meeting. 

The delegation crossed the border and reached the 19th Military District around 12.05am on Friday (August 22).

Thailand’s delegation, led by Maj Gen Suravich Daengchan, Chief of Staff of the First Army Area and head of the Thai RBC secretariat, entered the meeting room at 12.00am. The meeting concluded at 2.19am after the two sides signed off on a draft memorandum and exchanged documents.

Key takeaways from the meeting include:


Cambodia requested a delay to review the documents, arriving at the Klong Luk border post at 11.56pm and reaching the 19th Military District around 12.05am.
 
Suravich welcomed the Cambodian delegation and conducted discussions in the reception room while both sides' working teams verified the documents.
 
The meeting commenced at 1.09am and was concluded at 2.12am, followed by the signing of the memorandum and document exchange at 2.19am.
 
The Cambodian delegation departed to return to Cambodia and will reconvene at 10.00am today.

(2025/08/22-00:00)