No More Distortions: Cambodia Defends Its Borders and Its Truth
Cambodian foreign minister Prak Sokhonn (left) and his Thai counterpart Sihasak Phuangketkeow both addressed the UN General Assembly on September 27. Supplied
-Opinion-
On September 27, Thailand’s newly appointed Foreign Minister, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, took the floor of the UN General Assembly and chose provocation over peace. Instead of using this global platform to demonstrate leadership and responsibility, he resorted to tired accusations against Cambodia, distorting both the facts on the ground and the history between our two nations. Cambodia cannot and will not let such claims go unanswered.
Sihasak’s remarks were striking not for their substance but for their cynicism. He accused Cambodia of escalating border disputes, of shelling villages, of deploying drones into Thai territory — all without evidence. In reality, it was Thai military forces who launched unprovoked attacks against Cambodian troops stationed inside Cambodian territory, most recently in An Seh village on September 27.
During a period of nearly an hour of Thai aggression, Cambodian forces did not retaliate at all. They adhered strictly to the principle of maximum restraint, fully respecting the ceasefire agreement brokered on July 28, 2025, in Putrajaya with the support of US President Donald Trump, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the People’s Republic of China.
Let us recall the truth: Cambodia has never sought to internationalise the border issue. It was Thailand that first militarised the frontier, occupied areas belonging to Cambodia, and refused to abide by internationally recognized boundary maps deposited at the United Nations since 1964. Thai officials have repeatedly shifted their narratives — from “defensive operations” to “territorial defence” to “humanitarian concern” — all while steadily encroaching upon Cambodian soil.
Sihasak spoke of Thai soldiers injured by landmines, yet he neglected to mention that most mines were laid during decades of war in Cambodia — a war fuelled by external interventions in which Thailand played no small part. Today, Cambodia has made immense progress in mine clearance, saving countless lives. For Thai leaders to weaponise these tragedies as political tools at the UN is both insensitive and dishonest.
Equally disingenuous was Sihasak’s invocation of ASEAN principles. True respect for ASEAN means honouring agreements, refraining from unilateral actions, and pursuing peaceful resolution through dialogue. Instead, Thailand has drawn unilateral maps, ignored joint border commissions and inflamed tensions with reckless rhetoric. If Thailand truly values ASEAN unity, it must begin by respecting its neighbour’s sovereignty.
History shows clearly who rebuilt whom. Cambodia, scarred by decades of conflict, has rebuilt itself through the resilience of its people and the support of true friends in the international community. Thailand’s suggestion that it “helped rebuild Cambodia” after the Paris Peace Agreements is an insult to Cambodians who sacrificed and worked tirelessly for national reconstruction.
The claim that “the villages referred to by my Cambodian colleague are in Thai territory, full stop” is the kind of simplistic declaration that undermines serious diplomacy. Boundaries are not established by speeches at the UN but by treaties, international law and the International Court of Justice. Cambodia recognises these principles. Does Thailand?
Cambodia remains committed to peace. We remain committed to dialogue, to ASEAN mechanisms and to international law. But let there be no mistake: we will defend every inch of our territory, and we will expose every attempt to distort the truth.
If Thailand truly seeks peace, it should begin by ceasing hostilities, respecting existing maps and returning to the negotiating table in good faith. Empty rhetoric at the UN will not erase aggression on the ground. Cambodia calls on the international community to see through these distortions and support a just, rules-based resolution to this dispute.
Peace requires honesty. It requires sincerity. And it requires respect for sovereignty. On these principles, Cambodia will not waver.
Roth Santepheap is a geopolitical analyst based in Phnom Penh. The views and opinions expressed are his own.
-The Phnom Penh Post-
