Malaysia’s Defence Attaché to Thailand, Brigadier General Samsul Rizal Musa, led an ASEAN Interim Observer Team (IOT) in a three-day inspection of the Thailand–Cambodia border to oversee the ceasefire’s implementation and ensure impartial monitoring, The Edge Malaysia reports.

Hosted by the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF), the mission ran from August 18 to 20 across Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, and Surin provinces. It included 14 representatives from eight ASEAN member states, Malaysia, Brunei, Laos, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Samsul underlined the team’s mandate to maintain transparency, gather data, and provide unbiased assessments of both sides’ adherence to the truce, particularly in areas that have recently seen heightened tensions.

The RTARF said the observers began their visit at Sunphasitthiprasong Camp Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani, where they received briefings on recent incidents. Field inspections were then carried out at multiple border locations.

Thailand’s military reaffirmed its commitment to resolving disputes peacefully under ASEAN principles and international law, while also stressing its resolve to defend national sovereignty and civilian safety in case of violations.

The observer mission follows a ceasefire deal reached at the Extraordinary Thailand–Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting on August 7 in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia, as ASEAN chair, helped broker the agreement alongside observers from the US and China, whose involvement was seen as pivotal in easing cross-border tensions.