Cambodia, Laos, agree to step up border demarcation effort

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – The leaders of Cambodia and Laos have agreed to step up efforts to complete demarcation of their border, where disputes have led to armed confrontations in recent years.

Prime Minister Hun Sen and his visiting Lao counterpart, Thongloun Sisoulith, agreed in a statement Thursday to complete the process now that 86% of the border has been marked. The two countries are to add border pillars and produce a map of the borderline as party.

Cambodia and Laos reportedly dispatched troops to the border region last month in a standoff over the disputed boundary.

There was a similar confrontation in August 2017 when Laos objected to Cambodia’s construction of a road in disputed territory.