New Thai foreign minister calls for troop reductions with Cambodia

BANGKOK: Thailand and Cambodia should scale back their military presence along their shared border and work together to de-escalate tensions, Thailand’s new foreign minister told reporters on Thursday. Formally sworn into office along with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul a day earlier, Sihasak Phuangketkeow stressed the need to uphold the ceasefire agreed by Thailand and Cambodia at the end of a deadly five-day conflict in July. He told reporters on his first day as foreign minister that his priority is to secure peace between the two Southeast Asian neighbors.