Military delegates from Thailand and Cambodia convened a meeting at the Thai side of the border in Chanthaburi province on Wednesday to prepare for formal talks regarding a ceasefire and monitoring mechanisms along their disputed border.
The secretariat-level meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) began at the Ban Phak Kat permanent checkpoint. At around 16:25 local time, the Cambodian delegation arrived for a half-hour preliminary discussion.
Speaking to reporters after the session, GBC Secretary for the Thai side Nuttapong Praokaew stated that the initial talks focused on setting the agenda for a full-delegation meeting scheduled for 09:00 on Thursday.
Both sides have already exchanged their respective standpoints, Natthaphong noted.
In this meeting, both parties will discuss and exchange documents to prepare for the upcoming 3rd Special GBC meeting, which is scheduled to be held on December 27, 2025, in order to ensure the cessation of hostilities and find solutions to restore stability between the two countries, as well as to facilitate a swift return to normalcy, said Cambodian Ministry of Defense's Undersecretary of State and spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata.
Thai Defense Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri said earlier on Wednesday that the secretariat meeting would take place from Wednesday to Friday.
If these preliminary discussions proceed smoothly, they will be followed by a meeting between the defense ministers of both nations on Saturday, he told a press briefing.
Surasant noted that clashes between the two sides are still ongoing, having already resulted in the deaths of 23 Thai soldiers. As of 08:00 on Wednesday, 42 Thai civilians had been killed and 13 injured in the multi-day conflict.
The Thailand-Cambodia border conflict has reignited since Dec. 7, and both sides have accused the other of initiating the attack.
Thailand, Cambodia start General Border Committee secretariat meeting amid ongoing clashes
A major forum on digital economy cooperation and innovation, part of the 2026 Global Digital Economy Conference, was held on Tuesday at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, seeking to build consensus on development pathways and international standards.
More than 150 representatives from government, business, academia and international organizations attended the event for in-depth discussions on frontier trends, international cooperation, and pathways for shared development in the digital economy.
"As a hub of global diplomacy and innovation, Geneva provides the backdrop for us to build consensus, launch digital cooperation, and jointly promote the development of the global digital economy, at a time marked by the establishment of the World Data Organization and with the 2026 Global Digital Economy Conference pending," said You Jing, director of the foreign exchange and cooperation division of the Beijing Economic and Information Bureau.
The Global Digital Economy Cities Alliance, known as DEC40, organized the event. With 40 cities as its core members, the DEC40 actively engages with international organizations, multinational corporations, research institutions, and other stakeholders.
During the forum, DEC40 announced the launch of its Geneva office and the addition of 11 Chinese and Swiss companies to its membership, among several other new developments.
"We hope to engage in the development of international standards through deeper exchanges in the future, contributing our share. At the same time, by understanding and communicating about these international standards, we can better apply them to our business, thereby supporting our international expansion," said He Chunming, vice president of Hollysys Technology Group Co., Ltd.
The initiation of a number of flagship programs were also announced by DEC40 in collaboration with international organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union, the International Trade Centre, and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
These programs include the joint release of global digital economy lighthouse cases and an international innovation competition focused on AI-generated content.
The forum also featured multiple discussion sessions on emerging trends and international cooperation frameworks in the digital economy.
Jointly initiated by Beijing and over 40 other cities worldwide in July 2025, DEC40 is dedicated to narrowing the global digital divide through technical innovation, transfer, co-creation and sharing, and contributing to the achievement of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
The 2026 Global Digital Economy Conference is scheduled to take place in Beijing in early July, with a focus on building digitally friendly cities, alongside the latest outcomes in digital technology application and industrial development.
Experts build consensus on digital economy cooperation and innovation in Geneva
