Cambodia has reiterated its disapproval of Thailand’s unilateral assertions concerning parts of their mutual border, accusing Thai military forces of infringing on existing bilateral accords by conducting operations within Cambodian territory. On June 27, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation issued a statement accusing Thai soldiers of entering areas near Border Marker No. 26 in the Banteay Ampil district of Oddar Meanchey province. This incursion prompted Cambodia to lodge a new diplomatic protest.
The ministry claims that since early June, Thai troops have been engaged in clearing forested regions and setting up barbed wire near the contested border. Cambodia argues these actions are intended to push the boundary further into its domain, emphasizing that it does not acknowledge the border line claimed by Thailand. The Cambodian government insists that any disputes over the area should be resolved through mutually agreed upon border demarcation processes instead of unilateral actions.
Phnom Penh maintains that Thailand’s activities are in direct violation of Article 5 of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Cambodia-Thailand land border. Additionally, they contravene commitments made during the Third Extraordinary Meeting of the General Border Committee held in December 2025. These agreements require both nations to persist with border demarcation efforts via the Joint Boundary Commission. Cambodia has urged Thailand to cease what it describes as antagonistic actions, dismantle unilateral border structures, and settle differences through peaceful discussions.
According to government spokesperson Pen Bona, Cambodia has filed 42 diplomatic protests since July 2025, citing what it perceives as ongoing Thai encroachments. The government has also dispatched nine diplomatic notes seeking Joint Boundary Commission meetings and the deployment of Joint Survey Teams to advance technical work on border demarcation. Cambodian officials assert that these initiatives demonstrate their commitment to resolving disputes through established bilateral channels.
Cambodia remains firm in its stance that the border should be demarcated using the 1:200,000-scale maps created under the 1904 Franco-Siamese Convention and the 1907 Franco-Siamese Treaty. The government has criticized Thailand for using alternative 1:50,000-scale maps, which Cambodia claims were created unilaterally and are not acknowledged under existing agreements. As of the latest updates, Thai authorities had yet to publicly respond to the allegations made by Cambodia.