Cambodia has expressed strong opposition to what it terms as Thailand’s unilateral claims concerning sections of their shared border, accusing Thai military personnel of breaching existing bilateral agreements by engaging in activities inside Cambodian territory. On June 27, the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation issued a statement condemning the actions of Thai troops near Border Marker No. 26 in Banteay Ampil district, Oddar Meanchey province. These actions have reignited diplomatic tensions between the neighboring nations.
The Cambodian government reports that since early June, Thai soldiers have been clearing forested areas and setting up barbed wire in the disputed region. Phnom Penh asserts that these measures aim to alter the existing boundary by expanding Thai territorial claims into Cambodian land. The statement from the ministry emphasizes Cambodia’s refusal to acknowledge the border line claimed by Thailand, insisting that the area in question should remain subject to the jointly agreed-upon border demarcation process.
Cambodia contends that Thailand’s activities contravene Article 5 of a 2000 Memorandum of Understanding regarding land border surveys and demarcation, as well as commitments from the Third Extraordinary Meeting of the General Border Committee in December 2025. These agreements stipulate that the Joint Boundary Commission should address border issues through established bilateral mechanisms. Cambodian authorities have called on Thailand to cease unilateral actions and adhere to agreed procedures designed to peacefully resolve ongoing disputes.
According to government spokesperson Pen Bona, Cambodia has lodged 42 diplomatic protests since July 2025 concerning alleged border encroachments. Additionally, Phnom Penh has sent nine diplomatic notes requesting meetings of the Joint Boundary Commission and the deployment of Joint Survey Teams to continue technical assessments on the ground. Cambodian officials maintain that these initiatives aim to reduce tensions and advance the formal demarcation process through dialogue rather than unilateral actions.
Phnom Penh remains firm in its stance that the border should be defined using the 1:200,000-scale maps developed under the 1904 Franco-Siamese Convention and the 1907 Franco-Siamese Treaty. It has criticized Thailand for basing its claims on different 1:50,000-scale maps, which Cambodia claims were created unilaterally and do not reflect mutually recognized agreements. As of now, Thai authorities have not publicly addressed Cambodia’s latest statement, leaving the border dispute unresolved.