On July 31, Cambodian Defence Minister General Tea Seiha formally invited General Nattaphon Narkphanit, Thailand’s Deputy Defence Minister, to attend the GBC meeting in Phnom Penh. However, General Nattaphon responded by proposing that the venue be moved to Malaysia—a neutral location—while suggesting revised dates of August 4–7, to which Cambodia has now officially consented.

As part of efforts to ensure transparency and reinforce mediation, General Tea Seiha has also invited Malaysia, the United States, and China to participate as official observers of the GBC talks. These three nations were acknowledged for their pivotal roles in facilitating the ceasefire discussions earlier in July.

“We sincerely hope that this meeting will be constructive and yield positive results,” stated Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, spokesperson for Cambodia’s Ministry of Defence.

Status of Detained Soldiers and Humanitarian Coordination

Lieutenant General Maly also addressed the situation involving 20 Cambodian soldiers currently detained by Thai authorities, stating that Thailand has confirmed the detainees are in good condition. Cambodia is actively engaged in negotiations for their immediate repatriation, in accordance with international humanitarian law. As the current ASEAN Chair, Malaysia has been requested to assist in mediating and expediting the release and safe return of the soldiers.