PM: Implementing the ceasefire does not mean that Cambodia surrenders or is willing to trade its territorial integrity for peace
PM: Implementing the ceasefire does not mean that Cambodia surrenders or is willing to trade its territorial integrity for peace
#National
Prime Minister Hun Manet has this morning, Monday 29th December, sent a message explaining Cambodia’s choice to implement the ceasefire with Thailand.
He emphasized that choosing to implement the ceasefire does not mean that Cambodia surrenders or is willing to trade its territorial integrity for peace, and it does not mean that Cambodia is incapable or has given up its right to self-defense.
On the contrary, this decision shows that Cambodia has decided to pursue a peaceful path and to place the lives and well-being of its people as its highest and most important priority, even in the face of pressure or hardship.
The Prime Minister’s message in full is as follows:
“To our brave military and police heroes:
Dear all, and my most esteemed and deeply loved compatriots! Today, on behalf of the Head of the Royal Government, I would like to send a message to all my compatriots at a time when our beloved Cambodian homeland has been and is suffering the tragedy of the war of aggression after achieving complete peace in 1998.
Cambodia has endured hundreds of years of war, including a genocidal regime, which has led all Cambodian citizens to know the true value of “peace,” and in this situation, we truly desire nothing more than peace and the ability to develop the country to progress.
In this sense, Cambodia places the highest value on “peace and development,” and Cambodia always supports and participates in the righteous implementation of regional and global order based on international law, treaties, conventions, and agreements that Cambodia has accepted, especially the United Nations Charter and the ASEAN Charter, with the goal of peaceful and positive coexistence with all countries, both neighboring countries, in the region, and globally.
In this spirit, the Royal Government of Cambodia has always maintained a peaceful resolution of the issue and continues to make every effort to negotiate in all possible ways to end the armed confrontation and return to resolving the border issue in accordance with the technical mechanisms and legal framework in force.
After the most patient negotiation efforts, Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to implement an “immediate ceasefire on the spot” that will come into effect from 12:00 noon, December 27, 2025.
Choosing to implement this ceasefire does not mean that Cambodia has surrendered or is willing to trade its territorial integrity for peace, and it does not mean that Cambodia has lost its ability or has abandoned its right to self-defense.
On the contrary, this decision shows that Cambodia has decided to pursue a path of peace and to preserve the lives and well-being of its people as its first and highest priority, no matter how much pressure or difficulty it faces.
Even if we can continue to fight, as a small country, we have nothing to gain from prolonging this war for too long. Now, more than half a million displaced people are waiting for the day they can return to their homes, thousands of children are waiting for the day they can return to school, and thousands of families of soldiers and police are also anxiously waiting for their fathers, husbands, sons, uncles, aunts, brothers or sisters to return from the battlefield.
Therefore, while the possibility of finding a peaceful solution to this border dispute still exists, the Royal Government has decided to pursue negotiations to end the fighting before it escalates further in order to minimize the pain and suffering of our compatriots and to stop the sacrifices and injuries of our brave soldiers, brave police officers, and innocent civilians, who to date have lost 32 civilians and injured 93.
In fact, “immediate ceasefire in place” means that both sides must implement the ceasefire by maintaining their forces at their respective positions at the time of the ceasefire.
In this regard, I would like to emphasize that the maintenance of forces at their respective positions at the time of the ceasefire is officially recognized by both sides as having no bearing on the demarcation of the border between the two countries, which was clearly stated by the Cambodian government in the “Joint Declaration of the Special Meeting of the General Boundary Committee (GBC) between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand dated 27 December 2025”.
This clearly states that the international border between Cambodia and Thailand remains determined by existing treaties and conventions, and Cambodia fully retains the right to resolve this border issue with the Thai side in accordance with international law, treaties, conventions and bilateral mechanisms in force.
With the assurance that the arrangements in the Joint Statement on the ceasefire will not affect the border survey and demarcation work between the two countries, the two sides agreed to entrust the Joint Border Commission (JBC) to resume the work of surveying and demarcating the border as soon as possible in accordance with the existing agreements between the two countries, especially in the affected border areas where civilians used to live, in order to ensure lasting peace along the borders of the two countries.
The terms of the ceasefire also pave the way for the refugees residing in the border areas to return to their homes without hindrance and in safety and dignity in their respective areas.
In this regard, I would like to take this opportunity to inform my compatriots that I have instructed the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Interior and relevant ministries and institutions to designate sufficiently safe locations and make arrangements so that our refugees can return to their homes as soon as possible.
For areas that are not yet conducive to safe return, the Royal Government will seek solutions for those living in the area. In addition, under the terms of this joint declaration, after the ceasefire is fully implemented for 72 hours, 18 Cambodian soldiers will also be released back to Cambodia, in line with the spirit of the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration signed on 26 October 2025.
In addition, the Joint Statement also highlights the shared commitment between the two sides to continue to promote the implementation of a number of priority cooperation activities using existing mechanisms and agreements.
In this regard, the Joint Statement also continues to implement what has been agreed upon previously, including the Joint Press Statement of the Ceasefire on 28 July 2025 and the Kuala Lumpur Joint Statement on 26 October 2025, including other agreed documents that have been adopted under this Agreement, as well as other existing agreements between Cambodia and Thailand.
As Head of the Royal Government of Cambodia, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to our friendly countries and the international community, especially the United States, the People’s Republic of China, and ASEAN countries, under the coordination of Malaysia as the ASEAN Chair, for their active support and participation in this process from the very beginning, namely from the preparation of the ceasefire on 28 July 2025 until now.
I would also like to emphasize that Cambodia is committed to the full and sincere implementation of the Joint Declaration on the Ceasefire and welcome the participation of our friendly countries and the international community in supporting the full and effective implementation of the Joint Declaration, especially in strengthening the role of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) to verify and ensure the effective implementation of the measures agreed upon in the ceasefire.
As the Head of the Royal Government of Cambodia and as a Cambodian citizen, I would like to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to His Majesty the King of Cambodia and His Majesty the Queen Mother of the Cambodian Nation, who have always supported the Royal Government in fulfilling its mission for the nation and the homeland and have always paid the utmost attention to the well-being of their children and their people in all circumstances, especially in these difficult times ahead.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the invaluable sacrifices of all the brave soldiers and police officers in fulfilling the noble task of protecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and I would also like to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude for the patriotism and national solidarity in protecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all monks and fellow citizens, from all directions, both at home and abroad.
These merits are truly valuable above all else and will be recorded in history for all Cambodians and all generations.
The hardships and sacrifices of our heroes on the battlefield are a reminder that we must never forget for a second that “Divide is death, united is life.”
Therefore, in line with the old saying, “A bundle of sticks cannot be broken,” we must take this difficult time as an opportunity for all Khmer to join hands to build our Khmer nation stronger and better, with resilience, under the cool shade of our revered King.
Once again, Cambodia’s bitter war experience has shown that war cannot be ended by war, and only by choosing a peaceful and understanding solution based on the law can we end the war and avoid the loss of life, pain, and suffering of our fellow citizens.
I also hope that our fellow citizens, from all walks of life and in all directions, will continue to have strong faith in the Royal Government and unite in the spirit of one Khmer nation, using the value of peace to develop themselves into outstanding citizens of Cambodia and become a strong and indestructible force in the defense of national sovereignty and territorial integrity and in the development of our beloved nation and homeland, Cambodia, to steadily grow stronger and become a nation with pride and high prestige on the international stage.
Finally, I would like to express my blessings to all the venerable monks and my beloved compatriots, to be blessed with the Buddha’s blessings and the five blessings: longevity, caste, happiness, strength, and wisdom, never to be separated from each other.”
-Khmer Times-
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