Border deal's chances in doubt

Panitan said the outcome is mixed.

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The clear winner is the US which used trade measures as leverage and secured additional economic agreements, he said, adding Malaysia also gained diplomatic standing due to its role as a mediator.

He said Thailand, which insisted on keeping the dispute strictly a bilateral issue, has had to accept a multilateral framework, which is a disadvantage in principle. However, Cambodia has been pulled back into the framework, which would have been difficult without US involvement, he noted.

The analyst warned disputes could still emerge if Cambodia fails to comply with the agreement including efforts to curb call-centre scam operations and properly manage its border areas. “Border residents are not yet completely safe as long as heavy weapons remain deployed. Tanks are not the main concern, the priority is removing long-range artillery and multiple-rocket launchers,” he said.

PEACE VS GEOPOLITICS

Dulyapak Preecharush, deputy director of the East Asian Studies Institute at Thammasat University, said the agreement is a positive development, but expressed concerns over the geopolitical and economic interests underlying the deal.