Regarding Thailand’s Allegations Concerning Border Issues June 26, 2026
Regarding Thailand’s Allegations Concerning Border Issues June 26, 2026
Cambodia PR Team Responses
Regarding Thailand’s Allegations Concerning Border Issues
June 26, 2026
Q1: How does Cambodia view Thailand’s claim that it respects the Joint Statement and does not escalate tensions?
A: Cambodia believes that respect for the Joint Statement should be demonstrated through concrete actions, not merely through declarations of position. Cambodia has observed that over the past period, there have been numerous actions by the Thai side that Cambodia considers contrary to the spirit of the Joint Statement, including the continued illegal occupation of certain areas, unilateral land surveying and land-boundary marker installation in the area of Chouk Chey village, the construction and renovation of structures in areas still under dispute, as well as the use of military force, the installation of shipping containers and barbed wire inside Cambodian territory, which have caused damage to civilian infrastructure and affected citizens. In particular, the Thai side has consistently used internal issues as a pretext to delay JBC meetings and has refused to deploy joint technical teams to conduct ground surveys as soon as possible, as stipulated in Point 3 of the Joint Statement.
Cambodia considers that these actions are inconsistent with the claim of not escalating tensions and do not align with the spirit of the Joint Statement. Therefore, if Thailand is genuinely committed to respecting the agreement and maintaining peace, it should cease all unilateral actions and actions that could alter the situation on the ground, and return to resolving issues through the joint mechanisms mutually agreed upon by both parties, in accordance with the MOU-2000, the ceasefire of December 27, 2025, and international law.
Q2: Is it true, as Thailand has alleged, that Cambodia has repeatedly violated the Joint Statement?
A: No, it’s not. Cambodia has consistently adhered to and respected the Joint Statement, as well as the agreements and bilateral mechanisms mutually agreed upon by both parties. Cambodia’s stance is to resolve border issues peacefully, to avoid actions that could escalate tensions, and to refrain from unilateral actions that could undermine the atmosphere of trust between the two countries. Therefore, the claim that Cambodia has repeatedly violated the Joint Statement does not correspond to the facts and does not reflect Cambodia’s commitment to implementing the joint agreements. This is merely a distortion aimed at covering up the Thai side’s own violations of the agreement.
Cambodia believes that such claims do not contribute to building mutual trust and could divert attention away from joint efforts to implement the obligations agreed upon by both parties. Cambodia continues to call on both parties to respect and implement their joint commitments in good faith and in accordance with existing agreements.
