Cambodia accuses Thai troops of continued border violations, delaying JBC commitments
Photo: Thai troops erected razor wire and large-diameter box culverts barricades inside Cambodian territory on December 28, 2025. Hong Raksmey
Cambodia has lodged yet another formal diplomatic protest against Thailand. The latest, issued on July 22 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, accuses Thai forces of carrying out fresh road construction and laying barbed wire inside occupied Cambodian territory in Oddar Meanchey province.
Phnom Penh says the work violates existing bilateral border agreements and undermines previous Thai commitments to peacefully resolve the dispute through the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).
According to the ministry, road construction was carried out between border posts 8 and 9 in the Ta Tum area of Anlong Veng district, from July 13 to 15. It further alleged that razor wire was laid between posts 19 and 20, in the Chup Doeum Khnol area of Samraong municipality, from July 15 to 19.
The ministry described the activities as “new encroachments” into Cambodian territory.
It stated that the actions violate Cambodia’s sovereignty, as defined by the 1:200,000-scale maps prepared under the 1904 Franco-Siamese Convention and the 1907 Treaty.
It argued that the activities breach Article 5 of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding on the Survey and Demarcation of the Land Boundary between Cambodia and Thailand, as well as Item 1 of the Joint Statement adopted during the Third Special Meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) on December 27, 2025, under which both countries agreed to resume border survey and demarcation work through the Joint Boundary Commission at the earliest opportunity.
“The Royal Government of Cambodia reiterates that it does not recognise any boundary line or territorial claim unilaterally asserted by Thailand,” the ministry said, adding that the alleged activities would not prejudice Cambodia’s legal rights or position regarding its international boundary.
Phnom Penh urged Thailand to immediately cease the activities in the affected areas, as well as in any other areas which Cambodia says have been unlawfully occupied by Thai forces since last year.
The ministry said such measures were necessary to reduce tensions, rebuild mutual trust and facilitate the peaceful settlement of disputes, thereby restoring peace, stability and good-neighbourly relations along the Cambodia-Thailand border.
Cambodia has previously lodged multiple diplomatic protests regarding Thai military engineering and infrastructure work in occupied territory.
Cambodia has consistently maintained that border disputes should be addressed through existing bilateral mechanisms, particularly the Joint Boundary Commission, while respecting international law.
Since border tensions escalated, Phnom Penh has publicly confirmed sending at least three diplomatic notes requesting that Thailand resume Joint Boundary Commission work.
The formal requests, dated December 28, 2025, April 7, 2026 and June 15, 2026, proposed special JBC meetings or the resumption of joint survey operations.
Cambodian officials have said those proposals were either postponed or not acted upon by Thailand, while additional diplomatic notes were sent requesting continued technical discussions.
Despite the latest protest, Cambodia reiterated that it remains committed to resolving all boundary disputes with Thailand peacefully, in accordance with international law and existing bilateral agreements.
“The Kingdom of Cambodia remains committed to resolving all boundary disputes with Thailand, as with all its neighbours, exclusively through peaceful means, while firmly upholding its principled position that borderlines must not be changed by force,” the ministry said.
-Phnom Penh Post-
