Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand underscores Thailand’s position on the Thai-Cambodian border situation in an interview with the“NBT Mee Tang Ork” program

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand underscores Thailand’s position on the Thai-Cambodian border situation in an interview with the“NBT Mee Tang Ork” program

วันที่นำเข้าข้อมูล 2 Jul 2025

วันที่ปรับปรุงข้อมูล 2 Jul 2025

| 191 view

On 2 July 2025, Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, together with Mr. Benjamin Sukanjanajtee, Director-General of the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs, gave an interview on the “NBT Mee Tang Ork” program of the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand, underscoring Thailand’s position on the current situation along the Thai-Cambodian border and Thailand’s approach to de-escalating recent tensions between the two countries, as follows:

  1. Following the clash between Thai and Cambodian soldiers at Chong Bok, Ubon Ratchathani Province on 28 May 2025, the Thai side sent a letter of protest to the Cambodian side, emphasizing that Thailand’s actions were undertaken in self-defense and to protect national sovereignty, in an appropriate and proportionate manner and in accordance with the United Nations Charter and international law.

  2. The situation has since de-escalated, with no further clashes reported, and both sides have re-deployed their troops to reduce the risk of confrontation. One key development was the convening of the 6th Meeting of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) on 14–15 June 2025, which marked a significant step forward in advancing a framework for the technical staff of both sides to jointly conduct surveys and land demarcation. This demonstrates that bilateral mechanisms such as this one is still effective and can make progress going forward.

  3. Thailand remains committed to resolving boundary issues with Cambodia through various bilateral mechanisms. Furthermore, under the framework of the MOU on the Survey and Demarcation of the Land Boundary of 2000 (MoU2000), this is a legally binding treaty that both parties must adhere to. This MOU clearly requests both sides to settle differences peacefully through dialogue. In this regard, Thailand is resolute in negotiating with Cambodia with sincerity and in good faith, and in the spirit of good neighborliness. In addition, the MOU 2000 serves an important framework and a universal working model for both sides to operate.

  4. Thailand has not accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) since 1960, a fact which the Cambodian side is fully aware of. According to the Charter of the United Nations and international norms and practices, the two parties concerned are encouraged to engage in discussions to resolve the issue which is bilateral in nature, since third-party involvement would not yield a sustainable solution.

  5. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs views that recent comments made by senior government officials of Cambodia on social media platforms amount to interference in Thailand’s internal affairs and constitute a serious violation of the ASEAN Charter, the Charter of the United Nations, and international law. This seriously undermines Thailand-Cambodia relations. Therefore, we urge the Cambodian side to refrain from such action and to resolve any issues between our two countries bilaterally and through peaceful means. The Ministry only uses official channels to communicate with the international community, not via social media, as this would make it more conducive for addressing the issues.

  6. The primary objective of the Government is to safeguard Thailand’s territorial integrity while avoiding any losses, and to promote peace and security along the border areas, so that the local communities along the border can continue to live their lives in peace and normalcy.