The Cambodian government has voiced its objection to Thailand’s independent claims over parts of their shared border, accusing Thai military forces of encroaching on Cambodian land and violating existing bilateral agreements. On June 27, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation issued a statement asserting that Thai troops had entered areas near Border Marker No. 26 located in Banteay Ampil district, Oddar Meanchey province. This prompted Cambodia to lodge a new diplomatic protest against Thailand.
The statement from Phnom Penh accuses Thai soldiers of clearing forest land and installing barbed wire around the contested border area since the beginning of June. Cambodia argues that these actions are attempts by Thailand to alter the boundary line further into Cambodian territory, insisting that they do not accept the border line that Thailand claims. The Cambodian government emphasized that the contested territory should be subject to jointly agreed-upon border demarcation procedures, rather than unilateral actions by Thailand.
Cambodia maintains that Thailand’s activities are in direct violation of Article 5 of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Cambodia-Thailand land border. Moreover, they claim these actions contradict commitments made during the Third Extraordinary Meeting of the General Border Committee in December 2025. These agreements outline that both nations should continue border demarcation efforts through the Joint Boundary Commission. Cambodia has called on Thailand to cease what it labels as aggressive actions, dismantle unilateral border installations, and engage in peaceful dialogue to resolve the issues.
Pen Bona, a Cambodian government spokesperson, highlighted that Cambodia has submitted a total of 42 diplomatic protests since July 2025, addressing what they see as persistent Thai encroachments. Additionally, nine diplomatic notes have been sent, requesting meetings of the Joint Boundary Commission and the deployment of Joint Survey Teams to further technical work on demarcating the border. Cambodian authorities emphasize that these actions underscore their commitment to resolving disputes through established bilateral channels.
Phnom Penh continues to assert that the border should be determined using 1:200,000-scale maps that were developed under the 1904 Franco-Siamese Convention and the 1907 Franco-Siamese Treaty. The Cambodian government has criticized Thailand for using different 1:50,000-scale maps, which they claim were produced unilaterally and are not acknowledged under current agreements. As of the latest updates, Thai officials have not publicly addressed the accusations made by Cambodia.