Cambodia Urges Thailand to Resume Border Demarcation Talks for 20,000 Displaced

Prime Minister Hun Manet has strongly urged Thailand to immediately resume joint land boundary demarcation talks, stating that renewed technical negotiations are essential for the safe return of over 20,000 Cambodians displaced by armed clashes that erupted along the border nearly a year ago. In an exclusive interview with Bloomberg Television aired on July 24, Manet highlighted the persistent instability along the frontier, where troops from both nations continue to face each other across the undemarcated border, despite a largely holding ceasefire since last year's conflict. He explained that restoring the work of the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) is the most practical way to ease tensions, clarify the land boundary, and create conditions for displaced communities to rebuild their lives. His remarks come as Cambodia presses for the resumption of bilateral border mechanisms after Thailand suspended several border discussions. Manet also rejected recent claims by Thai officials that Cambodia's initiation of compulsory conciliation under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) had effectively closed the door to land boundary negotiations. He stressed that Cambodia's maritime conciliation case and land boundary negotiations are governed by separate legal frameworks and should not be linked. Manet stated that Cambodia turned to the UNCLOS compulsory conciliation process only after Thailand unilaterally terminated the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which had served as the sole bilateral framework for negotiating overlapping maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand. The prime minister noted that the maritime legal process is continuing, with both countries having nominated conciliators and working to appoint a chair for the commission. His latest appeal is against the backdrop of Cambodia's repeated protests over what Phnom Penh describes as Thailand's unilateral attempts to create fait accompli along sections of the undemarcated border. Cambodian authorities have lodged diplomatic protests, accusing Thai counterparts of carrying out activities within areas claimed by Cambodia before joint demarcation. These alleged activities include road construction, installation of religious structures, land allocation to Thai citizens, and erection of barricades, which Cambodia argues alter the ground situation and complicate future negotiations. The Cambodian government has consistently maintained that all such activities should cease until both countries complete the demarcation process through the JBC, in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and international law. Despite ongoing tensions, Manet reiterated Cambodia’s commitment to resolving disputes peacefully through dialogue, technical negotiations, and international legal mechanisms, expressing hope that both countries can move forward on border demarcation for the benefit of frontier communities. Source: Phnom Penh Post