Cambodia Rejects Thai Border Claims, Upholds Sovereignty and International Law

The Cambodian Senate Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Information has firmly rejected allegations made by the Thai Senate Advisory Commission on Foreign Affairs regarding the border situation, reaffirming Cambodia’s sovereignty over its territory based on historical international treaties. In a statement issued on Sept. 5, Chairman of the Commission H.E. Chhiv Yiseang categorically dismissed a statement made by Senator Nophadol In-na, Chairman of the Thai Senate Advisory Commission on Foreign Affairs, on Sept. 2, 2026. H.E. Chhiv Yiseang stated that Thailand’s continued forward military deployments and alleged aerial incursions constitute violations of international law, the United Nations Charter, and established bilateral mechanisms. The Cambodian Senate Commission rejected the Thai side’s arguments on several points, including the interpretation of the Joint Statement of the 3rd Special Session of the General Border Committee (GBC), signed on Dec. 27, 2025. The commission stressed that a temporary ceasefire framework cannot be used to legitimize an unlawful military occupation, create new territorial rights, or establish unilateral facts on the ground. It pointed out that boundary issues in disputed or unsurveyed areas must be resolved through existing bilateral treaties and peaceful diplomatic mechanisms. Regarding claims over which side initiated the 2025 border clashes, the Commission rejected Thailand’s unsubstantiated allegations that Cambodia fired first. It also accused Thailand of using transnational crime and online scams as a pretext for military actions and alleged violations of Cambodian airspace and territory. The Commission reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to international humanitarian law and called for an independent, internationally verified forensic assessment to establish which side fired first and whether civilian communities were targeted. On the issue of displaced civilians, the Commission rejected the Thai side’s characterization of more than 20,000 displaced Cambodians as “encroachers,” stating they are internally displaced persons (IDPs) uprooted by recent border instability. It stressed that, under international law, these civilians have the right to return safely and with dignity to their lands and homes. The Commission also called on Thailand to cease an incremental territorial encroachment strategy and withdraw its troops. The Cambodian Senate Commission further defended Cambodia’s right to raise the border issue through regional and international parliamentary forums, describing such engagement as a peaceful, transparent, and legitimate diplomatic mechanism. It stated that lasting peace and bilateral trust require more than dialogue and must be based on mutual trust, transparency, and respect for international law and historical boundary instruments, including the Franco-Siamese Convention of 1904 and the Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907. Cambodia remains firmly committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes and regional stability, the statement said, stressing that international parliamentary bodies should receive accurate and legally grounded information to prevent misinformation from obstructing a just and lasting solution to the bilateral border issue. By C. Nika