Thailand’s position in response to Cambodia’s submission on 15 June 2025 of a letter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) related to the Emerald Triangle (Mom Bei), Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Tauch and Ta Krabei temples

1. Thailand has not accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) since 1960. This is a position that 118 other Member States of the United Nations have also taken.

2. Thailand reaffirms its strong commitment to the peaceful settlement of international disputes, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law. Thailand’s decision not to accept the ICJ’s compulsory jurisdiction reflects Thailand’s considered position that any means to resolve differences between States must be exercised with due regard to the specific context of each matter, the nature of the situation, and the sovereign interests at stake.

3. Thailand is of the view that recourse to a third party may not always be conducive to the preservation of amicable relations among States, particularly in sensitive matters involving complex historical, territorial, or political dimensions. Instead, Thailand supports a flexible, consent-based approach to resolving any differences, which allows States to engage constructively in accordance with their specific circumstances and mutual interests.

4. Thailand reaffirms its position, as stated on many occasions, that current boundary issues should be addressed through the existing bilateral mechanisms in place, among others, the JBC, RBC and GBC, as well as other bilateral forums.

5. Thailand regrets that, despite the close relations between Thailand and Cambodia, both at the Leaders and people-to-people levels, Thailand has never been approached by the Cambodian side to explore or thoroughly discuss the option of using the ICJ to settle our differences regarding the areas in question.