Cambodia Demands 'Just and Peaceful Resolution' to Border Issues with Thailand

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, speaking at an ASEAN 59th anniversary event on August 7, 2026, strongly urged for a just and peaceful resolution to border issues with Thailand, including the re-implementation of the bilateral peace agreement. He emphasized that such a resolution is crucial for the peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity of the peoples of both nations. Minister Sokhonn called for the prompt, full, and effective implementation of the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Declaration signed on December 27, 2025. He specifically stressed the urgent resumption of surveying and border demarcation work by the Joint Border Commission (JBC) and the need to allow displaced citizens to return to their homes and livelihoods safely, with dignity, and without hindrance, as soon as possible. It is recalled that following two armed conflicts, Cambodia and Thailand reached a Joint Declaration on December 27, 2025, comprising 16 points, which included an immediate ceasefire. The declaration reaffirmed the commitment of both parties to avoid threats or the use of force against each other, and to seek peaceful conflict resolution while respecting international borders and existing agreements. However, in reality, over 20,000 Cambodian civilians, including more than 10,000 women and over 6,000 children, have not yet been able to return to their homes. This is due to Thai forces allegedly laying mines, deploying container boats, occupying, and illegally destroying their homes, despite the ceasefire. Military tensions along the Cambodia-Thailand border remain fragile and have become a protracted border dispute issue.