Cambodia Briefs ASEAN Observers on Border Disputes, Renews Call for JBC Talks

The ASEAN observer mission has inspected Cambodia’s northwestern border with Thailand. Cambodian authorities said the delegation witnessed damage to temporary border markers, allegedly caused by Thailand’s unilateral border fence construction, and examined areas where Thai citizens were accused of farming inside Cambodian territory. The July 6 visit marked the latest effort by Cambodia to provide regional observers with first-hand information on developments along the disputed border while reiterating its commitment to resolving outstanding issues through peaceful bilateral mechanisms. According to a press release issued by the Ministry of National Defence, the Cambodian Liaison Group (CLG) facilitated the field mission for the ASEAN Observer Team–Cambodia (AOT-KH), led by the Philippines’ head of mission, to inspect the area between Border Pillars No. 52 and No. 59 in Kamrieng district, Battambang province. The ministry said the observers were escorted to a section of the border between pillars 52 and 54, where the Thai military has allegedly constructed a unilateral border fence. “The AOT Team inspected the unilateral construction of a border fence by the Thai military near border pillars 52 and 54, where they witnessed damage to temporary markers caused by this unilateral action,” the ministry said. The delegation also received a technical briefing on previous joint survey and temporary demarcation work conducted by survey teams from both Cambodia and Thailand. Following the briefing, the observers visited sites between Border Pillars No. 52 and No. 59 where, according to Cambodia, Thai citizens have encroached into Cambodian territory to conduct agricultural activities. “Cambodia has formally protested these actions via diplomatic notes, as they infringe upon existing bilateral procedures under the jurisdiction of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC),” the ministry said. Cambodia added that it had urged Thailand to convene a meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand JBC as soon as possible. According to the ministry, the purpose of Monday’s mission was to provide the AOT with “a factual and comprehensive understanding of the situation on the ground through direct observation and supporting technical information”. The government used the visit to reiterate its long-standing position that all border disputes should be resolved peacefully. “The visit reaffirmed the position of the Royal Government of Cambodia that any border-related issues should be addressed peacefully through dialogue, in accordance with international law, existing bilateral treaties and agreements, and the established mechanisms of the Cambodia-Thailand JBC,” the ministry said. The latest AOT mission follows previous visits to other sensitive sections of the Cambodia-Thailand border, where Cambodian authorities have sought to document alleged violations and present technical evidence supporting Phnom Penh’s position. Border issues between the two neighbouring countries are managed through the bilateral JBC, which is responsible for surveying, demarcating and resolving outstanding land boundary matters under existing agreements between Cambodia and Thailand. Cambodia has repeatedly stated that while it remains committed to maintaining peace and stability along the border, any disputes should be settled through dialogue and established legal mechanisms rather than unilateral actions.