Cambodia Urges Thailand to Halt Border Expansion, Demands Careful Verification of Incidents

PHNOM PENH, July 16, 2026 (KPT) – Cambodia has pressed Thailand to halt road construction, territorial expansion and the installation of barbed wire in areas it says fall within Cambodian territory or remain undemarcated, government spokesperson Pen Bona said Thursday. The appeal was made during a July 15 meeting of the Cambodia–Thailand Regional Border Committee secretariats at the Choam-Sa Ngam checkpoint in Oddar Meanchey province. Cambodia urged Thailand to conduct “the utmost careful verification” of gunfire and explosion incidents along the frontier to avoid misunderstandings and prevent escalation. Officials called for urgent survey and demarcation work under the Joint Boundary Commission, in line with bilateral agreements and commitments made in December 2025. The Cambodian delegation also urged discipline among frontline troops and cooperation to curb fake news and inflammatory content that could incite hostility. Bona reaffirmed Cambodia’s position that the international boundary must be respected under Franco–Siamese treaties and the principle of uti possidetis juris. He stressed that Phnom Penh rejects any attempt to alter the boundary by force. The Defence Ministry echoed the call, urging the Joint Boundary Commission to begin demarcation work urgently, citing treaties, maps and records of the Indochina–Siam Boundary Commission. It reiterated that the border must be determined according to international law and existing agreements. Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry reported more than 20,000 people displaced by border tensions remain unable to return home due to damage and restrictions in affected areas. Bona said Cambodia remains committed to peaceful resolution, welcoming informal coordination meetings as a mechanism to reduce tensions and strengthen trust along the frontier, while underscoring ASEAN’s role in supporting dialogue and humanitarian response.