Cambodia has reiterated its opposition to Thailand’s unilateral actions along their shared border, accusing Thai forces of violating existing agreements and encroaching on Cambodian territory. In a statement issued on June 27, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation claimed that Thai troops entered areas near Border Marker No. 26 in Banteay Ampil district, Oddar Meanchey province. This alleged incursion prompted Phnom Penh to lodge a new diplomatic protest.
According to the ministry, Thai soldiers have been active in clearing forested areas and installing barbed wire near the contested border since early June. Cambodia asserts that these actions are an attempt to push the boundary further into its land and emphasizes that it does not recognize the border line as defined by Thailand. The Cambodian government insists that the area should remain under the jurisdiction of mutually agreed-upon border demarcation processes, rather than being subject to unilateral changes.
Phnom Penh contends that the activities of the Thai military violate Article 5 of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding on the Cambodia-Thailand land border. Additionally, they argue that these actions contradict commitments made during the Third Extraordinary Meeting of the General Border Committee in December 2025, which outlines that border demarcation should proceed through the Joint Boundary Commission. Cambodia has urged Thailand to cease what it describes as aggressive tactics, dismantle the unilateral border installations, and settle disputes through peaceful dialogue.
Government spokesperson Pen Bona highlighted that Cambodia has submitted 42 diplomatic protests since July 2025, addressing what it views as continuous Thai encroachments. Furthermore, the government has issued nine diplomatic notes requesting the convening of Joint Boundary Commission meetings and the deployment of Joint Survey Teams to advance technical work on border demarcation. Cambodian officials stress that these efforts underscore the nation’s commitment to resolving such disputes through established bilateral mechanisms.
Cambodia maintains that the border should be determined using the 1:200,000-scale maps prepared under the 1904 Franco-Siamese Convention and the 1907 Franco-Siamese Treaty. The government has criticized Thailand for relying on separate 1:50,000-scale maps, which Phnom Penh claims were produced unilaterally and are not acknowledged under existing agreements. As of the latest reports, Thai authorities had not made a public response to Cambodia’s allegations.