Cambodia calls on Thailand to adhere to frontier treaties
Thai bunkers were constructed in the border areas, after the December 27 ceasefire. Supplied
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Synopsis: Thai military’s recent activity and infrastructure projects near the border have sparked formal protests, as Phnom Penh seeks to revive stalled JBC talks following the other side’s general election.
Cambodia has urged Thailand to comply with existing border agreements and refrain from attempting to “create facts on the ground” after a series of delays to boundary talks. The appeal comes after reports of Thai military activity and civilian infrastructure projects in areas Cambodia considers its sovereign territory.
According to the State Secretariat of Border Affairs, Cambodia has proposed convening the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) five times in early 2026. However, Bangkok has postponed each session, citing the need to finalise internal procedures and form a new cabinet following Thailand’s general election in February 2026.
A reliable source confirmed that Cambodia is “closely monitoring” movements by Thailand’s 1st Army Region and the Burapha Task Force. Reports indicate these forces have been deployed to assess about 70 rai (11.2 hectares) of agricultural land in Sa Kaeo province, specifically in areas that Cambodia considers under unlawful occupation in the O’Chrov district of Banteay Meanchey province.
Further tensions have arisen following Thai media reports on March 18-19 of the construction of bomb shelters along the border. While 38 shelters are reportedly completed, plans for more than 100 are in progress.
“Border issues and any activities along the border must be conducted in strict compliance with relevant agreements between the two countries,” the source said. “Any unilateral actions that alter the situation in border areas—whether under the pretext of security, land measurement, or infrastructure development—could lead to misunderstandings, heighten tensions, and affect the atmosphere of mutual trust.”
The source added that border demarcation cannot be resolved through military means or by creating “facts on the ground” (fait accompli).
“These issues must be addressed through bilateral mechanisms, particularly via JBC to ensure peaceful resolution in accordance with international law,” the source said.
The government also clarified the status of Thai plans to construct fences between markers 52 and 59 in Battambang province. While both nations completed joint surveys and placed temporary markers in November 2025, Cambodia warned that any activity in unagreed areas would constitute a breach of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding.
Government spokesman Pen Bona said yesterday that Cambodia has lodged a formal protest against what it terms acts of aggression. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation recently documented Thai forces conducting land-clearing, road construction, and the erection of Buddha statues in areas including Ta Thav and Phnom Troap in Preah Vihear province.
Cambodia added that these territories are entirely within its sovereign territory, as outlined by the 1:200,000-scale maps created under the Franco-Siamese Convention of 1904 and the Treaty of 1907.
-Khmer Times-
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