Cambodia has firmly reiterated its opposition to Thailand’s unilateral claims on parts of their shared border, accusing Thai forces of violating bilateral agreements by trespassing into Cambodian territory. In a statement dated June 27, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation charged Thai troops with entering the region near Border Marker No. 26 in Banteay Ampil district, Oddar Meanchey province. This action has prompted Phnom Penh to issue a new diplomatic protest.
The Cambodian government alleges that, since early June, Thai soldiers have been clearing forested areas and installing barbed wire near the contested border. Cambodia asserts that these actions are an attempt to shift the boundary further into its territory and does not acknowledge the border line claimed by Thailand. The Cambodian stance is that the disputed area should be subject to mutually agreed-upon border demarcation procedures, rather than unilateral actions by Thailand.
Phnom Penh contends that Thailand’s activities breach Article 5 of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding on the Cambodia-Thailand land border. They argue these actions also contradict commitments made during the Third Extraordinary Meeting of the General Border Committee in December 2025, which stipulate that both nations should rely on the Joint Boundary Commission for border demarcation. Cambodia has called on Thailand to cease these hostile activities, dismantle unilateral border installations, and engage in peaceful dialogue to resolve the disputes.
Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona revealed that since July 2025, Cambodia has filed 42 diplomatic protests concerning what it perceives as ongoing Thai encroachments. Additionally, Cambodia has issued nine diplomatic notes requesting meetings of the Joint Boundary Commission and the deployment of Joint Survey Teams to continue technical work on border demarcation. These actions, according to Cambodian officials, demonstrate the nation’s commitment to resolving border issues through established bilateral mechanisms.
Cambodia insists that the border determination should adhere to the 1:200,000-scale maps prepared under the 1904 Franco-Siamese Convention and the 1907 Franco-Siamese Treaty. The Cambodian government has criticized Thailand for using separate 1:50,000-scale maps, which Phnom Penh argues were produced unilaterally and are not recognized under existing agreements. As of the latest update, Thai authorities have not issued a public response to Cambodia’s allegations.