Cambodia has firmly dismissed Thailand’s assertions over certain segments of their shared border, accusing Thai military forces of breaching prior bilateral agreements by conducting activities on Cambodian soil. On June 27, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Cambodia issued a statement highlighting that Thai troops had been active near Border Marker No. 26 in the Banteay Ampil district of Oddar Meanchey province, sparking fresh diplomatic friction between the two neighboring nations.
The Cambodian authorities have reported that since early June, Thai soldiers have been engaged in clearing forested land and installing barbed wire in the contested area. Cambodia contends that these actions are aimed at unilaterally altering the established boundary, effectively extending Thailand’s territorial claims into Cambodian lands. The government emphasized its non-recognition of the border line proposed by Thailand and insisted that the area in dispute should be subject to jointly agreed-upon border demarcation processes.
Cambodia has argued that Thailand’s recent activities are in breach of Article 5 of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding, which governs land border surveys and demarcation between the countries. Additionally, Cambodia pointed out that these actions contravene commitments made during the Third Extraordinary Meeting of the General Border Committee held in December 2025. These agreements advocate for border disputes to be resolved through the Joint Boundary Commission and established bilateral mechanisms. Cambodian officials have called on Thailand to cease what they describe as unilateral actions and to adhere to agreed-upon procedures intended to resolve disputes peacefully.
According to government spokesperson Pen Bona, since July 2025, Cambodia has lodged 42 diplomatic protests concerning alleged border encroachments. The Cambodian government has also sent nine diplomatic notes requesting meetings of the Joint Boundary Commission and the deployment of Joint Survey Teams to facilitate technical assessments on the ground. These diplomatic efforts, according to Cambodian officials, aim to de-escalate tensions and advance the formal demarcation process through dialogue rather than unilateral measures.
Phnom Penh remains steadfast in its stance that the border should be defined using the 1:200,000-scale maps established under the 1904 Franco-Siamese Convention and the 1907 Franco-Siamese Treaty. They have criticized Thailand for using different 1:50,000-scale maps, which Cambodia claims were made unilaterally without reflecting mutually recognized agreements. As of now, Thai authorities have yet to publicly respond to Cambodia’s latest statement, leaving the border dispute unresolved.