Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong has said that Cambodia welcomes Thailand 's intention to ask Indonesia to send observers to the Thai troops’ base in the disputed area near the Preah Vihear Temple.

Thailand ’s agreement to receive the observers is a positive step, said Hor Namhong on February 21, before departing for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta , Indonesia , to seek ways of dealing with the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand .

The minister also stated that Cambodia is confident that ASEAN will meditate during the negotiations.

Thailand’s daily newspaper ‘The Nation’ on February 20 quoted Thailand’s Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya as saying that Bangkok would ask Indonesia, the current chair of ASEAN, to dispatch observers to become embed with the Thai troops at the border where the clashes with Cambodian soldiers took place.

The observers will be on hand to ensure that the ceasefire is adhered to, said Kasit Piromya.

At a meeting on February 19, the Thai Army’s Chief-of-Staff General Daopong Rattanasuwon and Cambodia’s Deputy Supreme Commander General Jia Dara agreed to hold a ceasefire in the area near the 11 th century temple, a world heritage site.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, includes Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore , Thailand and Vietnam. /.