Cambodia Highlights Growing International Understanding on Thai Border Issues

Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona has stated that the international community is increasingly understanding the reality unfolding along the Cambodia-Thailand border. Speaking at a daily press conference on August 3, 2026, he asserted, "The world clearly sees the illegal occupation of Cambodian territory and acts of aggression by the Thai military." He added that a continuous stream of international voices, from the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly (APF) to the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, have called for the return of civilians to their homes, the resumption of dialogue, and the withdrawal of all armed forces from conflict zones, emphasizing peaceful resolution through existing mechanisms, particularly the Joint Border Commission, in accordance with international law. "The truth is being revealed, and the government's stance of seeking peaceful resolution through diplomatic mechanisms and based on international law is yielding results," Pen Bona stated. According to him, since the second ceasefire officially took effect on December 27, 2025, the Secretariat of State for Border Affairs of Cambodia has sent 10 diplomatic notes to the Thai side to convene a special meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Border Committee (JBC) and has dispatched joint survey teams to conduct practical work on the ground, demonstrating the Cambodian government's peaceful approach to dispute resolution based on international law. During a Cambodia Thmey expert forum, Dr. Chhut Bunthong, a philosopher, commented that historically, even if Thailand occupied Cambodian land temporarily, international pressure would eventually force its withdrawal. He cited the 1954 invasion of Preah Vihear Temple, which was resolved by the International Court of Justice in 1962, and the attempted re-invasion in 2008, which was again repelled in 2013. He believes the current situation will be similar, and victory will be on Cambodia's side as long as it stands on the truth. "Based on historical experience, I encourage everyone to regain faith that we are not focusing on the use of force, but on international law. The experiences where we have won can be a strong shield for Cambodia. We must have hope that if we strive to document the violations committed by Thailand against us and work together with the international community, we can achieve what we have in our history," he said. In a decision on July 11, the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly (APF) expressed concern for civilians and reported violations of the ceasefire by Thailand, impacting Cambodia's territorial integrity and damaging cultural and religious sites. The assembly called for strict respect for Cambodia's sovereignty, immediate de-escalation of tensions, continued dialogue between parties, and the withdrawal of all armed forces from conflict zones. Furthermore, in a report to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Special Rapporteur Toms Andrew expressed his distress over the situation of Cambodian refugees and demanded their return home. He wrote, "It is imperative that Thailand and Cambodia work together to accelerate the return of these citizens to their homes, as they need to return and deserve to return to their own homes." Article by Hun Sirivath.