Cambodia Demands Thailand Halt Border Encroachment, Citing Road Construction and Barbed Wire Installation

The Cambodian government has issued a formal protest to Thailand, demanding an immediate halt to road construction and the installation of barbed wire by Thai armed forces in border areas, which Cambodia considers a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as a breach of bilateral agreements and international law. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, between July 13 and July 15, 2026, Thai armed forces cleared land for the construction of a new road between border pillars No. 8 and No. 9 in the Ta Thom area, O’Yudey district, Oddar Meanchey province, which encroached upon Cambodian territory. Subsequently, between July 15 and July 19, 2026, Thai armed forces continued to clear land for road construction and install barbed wire between border pillars No. 19 and No. 20 in the Chub Derm Khnor area, Koun Kriel commune, Samrong city, Oddar Meanchey province. In its protest letter dated July 22, 2026, the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that these actions are a clear violation of Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as defined by the 1:200,000 scale map produced by the Franco-Siamese Boundary Commission, in accordance with the French-Siamese Convention of 1904 and the Treaty of 1907. The ministry further stated that the Thai side's actions also violate Article 5 of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of 2000 on the demarcation and delimitation of the land border, as well as point 1 on measures to reduce tension in the Joint Declaration of the 3rd Special Meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) dated December 27, 2025, where both sides agreed to entrust the work of surveying and erecting border pillars to the Joint Commission for the Demarcation and Delimitation of the Land Border (JBC). Cambodia reiterated that it absolutely does not recognize any unilateral border lines or territorial claims by Thailand, and affirmed that these actions cannot affect Cambodia's legal rights or position regarding its international border line. Concurrently, the Cambodian government demanded that the Thai side immediately cease all activities in the aforementioned areas, as well as other areas that Cambodia claims have been illegally occupied by Thai armed forces since last year. This is to reduce tension, enhance mutual trust, and create a favorable environment for the peaceful resolution of disputes. The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Cambodia continues to adhere to the peaceful resolution of border issues with Thailand and all neighboring countries in accordance with international law and existing bilateral agreements, and reiterates its stance that border lines cannot be changed by the use of force.