Cambodia Urges Thailand to Resume Land Border Demarcation, Denies Confusion with Maritime Law

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia has issued an official statement in response to claims made by Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeaw in Beijing this week. Mr. Phuangketkeaw reportedly stated that Cambodia's decision to activate the dispute settlement mechanism under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has "closed the door" to land border negotiations. In its statement, the ministry's spokesperson unequivocally asserted that this claim is untrue. The spokesperson clarified that maritime and land border issues are governed by separate legal frameworks and distinct bilateral mechanisms. Cambodia's choice to pursue the UNCLOS route pertains solely to maritime boundary matters and does not affect land border issues. The ministry reiterated that UNCLOS is a peaceful means for resolving maritime disputes and should be viewed as a confidence-building measure rather than a cause for concern. This choice, it stated, cannot serve as a valid basis for suspending the work of the Joint Land Border Commission, as agreed upon in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of 2000 and the ceasefire agreement of December 27, 2025. It was also recalled that Thailand itself unilaterally withdrew from bilateral maritime negotiations, while Cambodia has repeatedly expressed its intention to rely on UNCLOS exclusively for maritime issues. Cambodia therefore urged Thailand to cease creating pretexts for intentional delays and to return to the demarcation process in good faith. The ministry emphasized that there are no legal or practical grounds whatsoever for the Joint Land Border Commission to postpone its work concurrently with the UNCLOS process. The statement also mentioned that on July 11, 2026, the Francophone Parliament adopted a resolution reaffirming its support for Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and calling for the continuation of border demarcation. Furthermore, the international community expects Thailand to respect the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) rulings of 1962 and 2013 concerning Preah Vihear Temple and the land border demarcation in accordance with the 1904 Convention and the 1907 Treaty, as acknowledged by both parties in the 2000 MOU. Finally, the ministry stressed that the indefinite postponement of the border demarcation process to permanently occupy and annex Cambodian territory currently occupied by Thailand illegally constitutes a grave violation of the UN Charter and the ASEAN Charter, which cannot be tolerated.