Thai foreign minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said one of Bangkok’s priorities is to withdraw heavy weapons from the frontier.

“And this has been agreed, but we want to see the people on the ground, the army commanders meeting to work out the specific steps and some timetable,” he told FMT ahead of the 47th Asean Summit, which will take place from Oct 26-28 in Kuala Lumpur.

Phuangketkeow said landmine incidents remain a major concern, noting that Thai soldiers have been injured in recent months by newly-planted explosives.

“(This) is against the convention that Thailand and Cambodia are parties to, the Ottawa Convention. So we want to see serious action on demining at the border,” he said, referring to the 1997 mine ban treaty ratified by 166 countries.

Tensions along the still-undemarcated 817km border flared in late May when a fatal skirmish claimed the life of a Cambodian soldier, followed by a series of landmine explosions that cost a Thai soldier his leg in July.

Both sides accused each other of planting new mines in disputed areas, with Thailand claiming Cambodia used Soviet-era PMN-2 anti-personnel devices — an allegation Phnom Penh denied.

An initial truce was brokered in July that halted a five-day conflict. A broader ceasefire is now set to be signed at the Asean Summit, witnessed by Malaysia and the US.

Phuangketkeow also called for joint action on cross-border crime, particularly scam operations that have victimised people “not just in our region, but beyond”.

“So we really have to work with the Cambodians on this, and we need a plan of action,” he said.

On border encroachments and village relocations, the minister said that Thailand is seeking peaceful solutions.

“We hope that we can find a peaceful solution on how to relocate the villagers, but with emphasis on peaceful solutions,” he said.