Cambodia has intensified its objections to Thailand’s territorial claims along their shared border, accusing Thai military forces of encroaching on Cambodian land and violating bilateral agreements. On June 27, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation issued a statement alleging that Thai troops had crossed into areas near Border Marker No. 26 in the Banteay Ampil district of Oddar Meanchey province. This incident has led Phnom Penh to lodge a new diplomatic protest against Thailand.
The ministry claims that since early June, Thai soldiers have been clearing forested areas and installing barbed wire near the contested border. Cambodia argues these actions are an attempt to push the boundary further into its territory and has refused to acknowledge the border demarcation claimed by Thailand. The Cambodian government insists that any disputed areas should be dealt with through mutually agreed-upon processes rather than unilateral moves.
Phnom Penh has accused Thailand of breaching Article 5 of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding concerning the Cambodia-Thailand land border, as well as violating the agreements made during the Third Extraordinary Meeting of the General Border Committee in December 2025. These agreements mandate that both nations continue demarcation efforts through the Joint Boundary Commission. Cambodia has called on Thailand to cease what it terms as aggressive actions, dismantle unilateral border installations, and engage in dialogue to resolve the issues peacefully.
Government spokesperson Pen Bona revealed that Cambodia has filed 42 diplomatic protests since July 2025, citing what it views as ongoing Thai encroachments. Additionally, the Cambodian government has sent nine diplomatic notes requesting meetings of the Joint Boundary Commission and the deployment of Joint Survey Teams to advance technical work on border delineation. Cambodian officials argue these actions illustrate their commitment to settling disputes through established bilateral mechanisms.
Maintaining its position, Cambodia insists that the border must be determined using the 1:200,000-scale maps established under the 1904 Franco-Siamese Convention and the 1907 Franco-Siamese Treaty. The Cambodian government has criticized Thailand for utilizing separate 1:50,000-scale maps, which Phnom Penh claims were created unilaterally and are not sanctioned by existing agreements. As of the latest update, Thai officials had not publicly addressed Cambodia’s accusations.