A joint statement on a ceasefire is signed during the third Special Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee meeting on Saturday. Photo: CCTV News

Thailand and Cambodia signed a joint statement on the ceasefire on Saturday, China’s state broadcaster CCTV News reported.

During the third Special Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) meeting, representatives from Thailand and Cambodia signed the deal at a permanent border checkpoint between Thailand's Chanthaburi Province and Cambodia's Prey Veng Province, said the broadcaster.

An immediate ceasefire would take effect from 12:00 noon (local time) on Saturday following the signing of the joint statement, according to the joint statement released by Thailand and Cambodia.

Cambodia's Ministry of Defense announced that the meeting adopted and signed a joint statement reaffirming both sides' firm commitment to fully implementing the ceasefire agreement and to pursuing peace, stability and security for people along the two countries’ border.

In addition, both sides agreed that 18 Cambodian soldiers would be returned to Cambodia after the ceasefire has been fully maintained for 72 hours.

According to CCTV, armed clashes erupted along the Thai-Cambodia border on July 24, with both sides accusing each other of violating international law. On August 7, during an Extraordinary Cambodia-Thailand GBC meeting held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the two sides reached a consensus on ceasefire details and signed an agreement. They agreed to maintain their existing troop deployments without further movement and pledged not to send additional troops to the border. On October 26, during the 47th ASEAN Summit, both sides signed a joint statement on peace between the two countries.

Intense clashes erupted again along the borders of the two countries on December 7, with both sides accusing the other of “firing first.” The new round of conflict has resulted in more than 100 casualties and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. From Wednesday to Friday, representatives from Thailand and Cambodia convened a GBC meeting at the secretariat level to discuss ceasefire issues and prepare for the commission’s meeting scheduled for Saturday.