The Thai military installed this golden Buddha statue on occupied Cambodian soil. FB
The Cambodian government has lodged a strong formal protest against what it described as “continued violations of Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” by Thai forces along the border, most recently through the installation of a large Buddha statue in Oddar Meanchey province.
Phnom Penh described Thai activities as an attempt to create a new reality on the ground, or fait accompli.
According to a September 21 statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on September 18, Thai forces accompanied by monks installed the Buddha statue at Phnom Beng in Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey province, between border posts No. 2 and No. 3.
“This is another case in which Thailand continues to use structures and religious symbols to reinforce its illegal occupation of Cambodian territory,” the ministry said.
The ministry reiterated that the action clearly violated Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as established and demarcated by the 1:200,000-scale map produced by the Franco-Siamese Boundary Commission in accordance with the 1904 Franco-Siamese Convention and the 1907 treaty.
Thai soldiers and monks installed the statue in the Phnom Beng area of Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey province. FB
The action also violated Article 5 of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Cambodian and Thai governments on the Survey and Demarcation of Land Boundary, signed on June 14, 2000, as well as Point 1 of the Joint Statement of the Third Special Meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC), dated December 27, 2025, the ministry noted.
“Cambodia categorically rejects any unilateral border line or territorial claim by Thailand, and the aforementioned [Thai violations] do not affect Cambodia’s legitimate rights or position concerning its international borders,” it added.
The Cambodian government demanded that Thailand “immediately cease all such illegal activities, stop all unilateral actions, and work to ease tensions, build mutual trust, and maintain peace and good neighbourly relations along the border between the two countries”.
