Thai troops have agreed to remove barbed wire from the demilitarised zone near the Chaom Sangam International Border in Oddar Meanchey province while Cambodians have agreed to cease constructions of homes in the same area after military officials from both sides struck a deal.

The area in question is located near Chaom village in Anlong Veng district’s Trapaing Brei commune.

Two groups consisting of 30-40 Thai troops first started installing the fence on Tuesday to prevent Cambodians from constructing homes near the borderline.

Deputy chief of staff of Military Region 4 and director of Cambodian-Thai Border Relations Toch Ra told The Post on Thursday that after the conflict escalated, the chief commander of Military Region 4 called for an immediate meeting to find a solution between the two parties.

The houses were being constructed on Cambodian territory about 150m from the demilitarised zone, Ra said.

When Thai officials requested the Cambodians to stop the construction, they did, because the Cambodian military asked them to, he said.

“After holding a meeting with Thai officials, they agreed to withdraw their troops as requested.

They requested us not to build constructions near the borderline again and they returned the favour by removing the barbed wire fence,” Ra said.

He said initially, the negotiations weren’t smooth, and Thai soldiers had occupied the trenches near the borderline.

“They told me that they used two groups of soldiers, numbering some 30-40 men. But we communicated amicably and solved the problem,” he said.

Oddar Meanchey provincial administration spokesperson Chea Piseth said the construction dispute at the border has been resolved by the armed forces of Military Region 4.

Piseth said the transportation of goods between the two countries continues as usual at the Chaom Sangam and O’Smach International Borders.

He said between 50 and 100 Cambodian workers return from Thailand every day.