BANGKOK, 1 February 2011 (NNT) – Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has reaffirmed no loss of Thai territory so far while suggesting that negotiations rather than military means should be used to solve the border conflict.

With escalating tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border, Gen Prayuth assured that troops and weaponry had been readied for the protection of Thai soil from invasion although he viewed that any use of force should be left as the last option. According to the Army Chief, the ideal solution would be through bilateral talks at a meeting of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Committee (JBC).

Gen Prayuth pointed out that the decision whether or not to wage a war with Cambodia depends on the responsible authorities; however, neither side would want to see bloody clashes or suffer social and economic consequences.

NNT