On 26 August 2016, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and H.E. Mr. Prak Sokhonn, Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia co-chaired the Tenth Meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JC) between Thailand and Cambodia in Bangkok. The Meeting was attended by senior officials from all agencies concerned, including 23 Cambodian high officials, ranking of secretary of state and secretary general.

This Meeting was aimed to following up the issues of bilateral cooperation since the Ninth Meeting of the JC, held during 15 – 16 January 2015 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and the Second Joint Cabinet Retreat (JCR), held during 18 – 19 December 2015, in Bangkok, Thailand.

During the Meeting, both sides discussed various important issues of cooperation such as (1) the expedition of the opening of new international points of entry and the upgrading of existing border points of entry to international ones, (2) cooperation on the prevention and suppression of illegal logging along the border, (3) labour cooperation, particularly on legalization and distribution of passports for those Cambodian workers in Thailand, (4) the increase of bilateral trade volume to 15,000 million USD to meet the target set by the Second JCR, (5) cooperation on public health and education, disaster management, and capacity building on science, technology and innovation. Also, Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia congratulated Thailand on the result of the Thai constitutional referendum on 7 August 2016 and also stated that Cambodia respected the decision of Thai people.

After the Meeting, the two Ministers co-signed the MOU on the Establishment of Transit and Reception Centre for Victims of Trafficking and Other Vulnerable Groups in Poi Pet, Banteay Meanchey Province. The center, once established, would help the victims of human trafficking to undergo the process of rehabilitation.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand hosted luncheon in honour of Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia and the delegation. The senior then paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister of Thailand at the Government House on the same afternoon.

Cambodia is scheduled to host the Eleventh Meeting of the JC in Cambodia.