Cambodia Demands Halt to Thai Border 'Illegal Activities,' Cites Provocations

The Cambodian military has called for an immediate halt to what it described as “illegal activities” at the border by its Thai counterparts. The Regional Border Committees (RBC) of the Cambodian 4th Military Region and the Thai 2nd Army Region held an informal meeting today, July 15, at Oddar Meanchey province’s Choam-Sangam International Border Checkpoint. Informal coordination meetings between the two secretariats are held periodically, with the goal of preventing unnecessary misunderstandings and easing tensions along the border, explained Maly Socheata, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence. Brigadier General Nith Narong, head of the Cambodian RBC Secretariat, led the Cambodian delegation, while the Thai delegation was led by his Thai counterpart Major General Kampanat Waphansu. “During the meeting, the Cambodian side demanded that the Thais cease activities like land clearing for road construction and the laying of razor wire in areas within Cambodian sovereign territory, as well as other areas that have not yet been clearly demarcated,” explained Socheata, in a statement. “Cambodia emphasised the urgent need to commence the demarcation work of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and the Joint Statement of December 27, 2025,” she added. The Cambodian delegation requested that the Thais conduct a thorough investigation into recent incidents involving unexplained explosions and live firing. They also called for the implementation of concrete measures to ensure such incidents do not recur and to avoid the unnecessary escalation of tensions. Socheata noted that the Thais were urged to enforce discipline among their frontline forces to avoid any unnecessary provocations, such as firing weapons, laying razor wire or using inappropriate language. “In addition, the Cambodian delegation underscored the importance of jointly preventing the spread of fake news and disinformation, particularly content intended to incite hatred and resentment. This aims to foster mutual trust and create a favourable environment for a peaceful resolution,” she added. Cambodia also reaffirmed its strict and full adherence to the Joint Statement of the 3rd Special Meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) reached on December 27, 2025, as well as the Joint Declaration on the Cambodia-Thailand Peace Agreement dated October 26, 2025, which was presided over by US President Donald Trump, in additional to other relevant agreements. “These commitments aim to pursue a peaceful, fair and sustainable solution in accordance with international law, as well as existing treaties and agreements between the two nations,” Socheata noted.