Cambodia Chooses Peace—Now Thailand Must Prove Its Sincerity
A recent deployment of Thai riot police in Banteay Meanchey's O Chrov disrict. Supplied
-Opinion-
At the UN and in recent public statements, Thai officials have attempted to frame Cambodia as the obstacle to peace, accusing Cambodia of lacking sincerity and suggesting that peace depends solely on Cambodia’s choices. Such a narrative is misleading, unjust, and an affront to the truth. Cambodia has consistently demonstrated its commitment to peace, dialogue and international law. The real question is: has Thailand done the same?
Cambodia has never wavered from the path of peaceful coexistence with its neighbours.
Cambodia believes in negotiation, not provocation. Cambodia respects the rule of international law, as demonstrated by acceptance of the 1962 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on Preah Vihear Temple and the 2013 ICJ interpretation, which reaffirmed Cambodia’s sovereignty over the area. Cambodia has opened every possible channel for dialogue, through bilateral discussions and regional mechanisms, to prevent escalation and ensure peaceful resolution.
This is sincerity in both words and actions.
Yet Thailand’s actions tell a different story. Despite repeated commitments to ceasefire and de-escalation, Thailand has violated these agreements by laying razor wire and erecting fences deep inside Cambodian territory. Such actions not only disregard Cambodia’s sovereignty but also inflict suffering on border villagers who find their farmland, homes and even freedom of movement restricted.
These unilateral moves amount to violations of human rights and expose the emptiness of Thailand’s proclaimed sincerity.
If Thailand were truly sincere about peace, it would accept international legal rulings instead of undermining them. It would stop unilaterally redrawing maps and stationing troops on Cambodian soil. It would abandon the dangerous practice of portraying Cambodia as an aggressor while continuing military provocations on the ground.
Sincerity is not measured in speeches delivered abroad; it is proven by restraint and respect shown at home and on the border.
Cambodia chooses peace because it is the only path that serves its people and the stability of the region. But peace cannot be built by one side alone. It requires honesty, fairness and responsibility from both. Pretending to be sincere while practicing provocation is not the behaviour of a true peacemaker.
The world must recognise that Cambodia stands ready for dialogue and peaceful resolution under international law. It is now Thailand’s turn to demonstrate genuine sincerity, not through accusations, but through concrete actions that respect treaties, legal verdicts and the sovereignty of its neighbour.
Cambodia has chosen peace. The question is whether Thailand will finally choose sincerity.
Roth Santepheap is geopolitical analyst based in Phnom Penh. The views and opinions expressed are his own.
-The Phnom Penh Post-
