Cambodia says ceasefire cannot create new border with Thailand.
Cambodia Daily
β’Tue, 08 Sep 2026 20:14:45 +0000
π° What Happened
Cambodia's Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said the ceasefire with Thailand cannot be used to establish a new international border or to grant legal ownership of disputed territory. He said both sides agreed in December to maintain their military positions and allow displaced civilians to return safely, with the ceasefire taking effect at noon on 27 December. He alleged that Thai forces have since strengthened positions in areas claimed by Cambodia by installing barbed wire and containers and building trenches, roads and military facilities, actions he said could create new facts on the ground and cannot be justified as merely holding existing positions. More than 20,000 people were displaced by the fighting, he said, adding that their safe return should be a key measure of whether the ceasefire is respected. On Monday Thailand took more than 100 foreign delegates, ASEAN observers and international journalists to the O Smach casino area and Choam border crossing in Oddar Meanchey province.
π The Backstory
Cambodia and Thailand have a long-running territorial dispute rooted in colonial-era maps, including the frontier around the Preah Vihear temple complex, on which the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 and clarified again in 2013. Deadly clashes returned in 2025, displacing large numbers of civilians on both sides before a ceasefire was brokered with regional involvement. The December agreement was intended to freeze positions and allow returns while the broader border question remained unresolved. Both governments have since courted international opinion over who is respecting the arrangement.
π― Why It Matters
The dispute tests whether the December ceasefire can hold while the underlying border question stays unresolved, and accusations of construction on contested ground risk reigniting fighting. Tens of thousands of displaced civilians have a direct interest in whether they can return safely to their homes and farmland. Thailand's organised visit for diplomats and journalists shows both sides competing to shape the international narrative. The standoff also complicates ASEAN's efforts to present itself as an effective mediator.
Cambodia's Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said the ceasefire with Thailand cannot be used to establish a new international border or to grant legal ownership of disputed territory. He said both sides agreed in December to maintain their military positions and allow displaced civilians to return safely, with the ceasefire taking effect at noon on 27 December. He alleged that Thai forces have since strengthened positions in areas claimed by Cambodia by installing barbed wire and containers and building trenches, roads and military facilities, actions he said could create new facts on the ground and cannot be justified as merely holding existing positions. More than 20,000 people were displaced by the fighting, he said, adding that their safe return should be a key measure of whether the ceasefire is respected. On Monday Thailand took more than 100 foreign delegates, ASEAN observers and international journalists to the O Smach casino area and Choam border crossing in Oddar Meanchey province.
Cambodia and Thailand have a long-running territorial dispute rooted in colonial-era maps, including the frontier around the Preah Vihear temple complex, on which the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 and clarified again in 2013. Deadly clashes returned in 2025, displacing large numbers of civilians on both sides before a ceasefire was brokered with regional involvement. The December agreement was intended to freeze positions and allow returns while the broader border question remained unresolved. Both governments have since courted international opinion over who is respecting the arrangement.
The dispute tests whether the December ceasefire can hold while the underlying border question stays unresolved, and accusations of construction on contested ground risk reigniting fighting. Tens of thousands of displaced civilians have a direct interest in whether they can return safely to their homes and farmland. Thailand's organised visit for diplomats and journalists shows both sides competing to shape the international narrative. The standoff also complicates ASEAN's efforts to present itself as an effective mediator.