Phnom Penh, March 3, 2026 — The Royal Government of Cambodia on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to resolving its long-running border dispute with Thailand through peaceful means and in accordance with international law, amid continued tensions along the frontier.Speaking at a press briefing at the Office of the Council of Ministers, government spokesperson Pen Bona said Cambodian leaders have consistently conveyed to foreign partners the Kingdom’s preference for dialogue and a rules-based approach to addressing border issues.
Prime Minister Hun Manet reiterated that position during a March 2 courtesy call with Vladanka Andreeva, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Cambodia, according to the spokesperson. The prime minister briefed her on recent developments along the border and stressed Cambodia’s commitment to a peaceful settlement grounded in international law, relevant conventions and treaties, and existing bilateral agreements between the two countries.
Ms. Andreeva, in turn, expressed the United Nations’ hope that both sides would resolve their differences peacefully in line with the UN Charter and international law, while also commending Cambodia’s contributions to UN peacekeeping missions over the past two decades.
The prime minister delivered a similar message during a farewell call the same day by Singapore’s outgoing ambassador to Cambodia, Teo Lay Cheng, underscoring Cambodia’s reliance on established legal frameworks and bilateral accords to address the dispute.
According to the spokesperson, Hun Manet also raised the border issue during a recent diplomatic trip to the United States and Europe, where he met senior U.S. officials, world leaders and international counterparts, including in Brussels. Cambodia’s position — that the dispute should be resolved through peaceful negotiation based on international law — was reiterated during those meetings.
Pen Bona noted that Cambodia’s stance has received broad support from world leaders and international institutions. He cited recent interactions, including praise from Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary-General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), during a March 2 meeting with Cambodian Acting Head of State Hun Sen, as well as her visit to displaced persons near the border.
Cambodia has alleged that Thai forces have illegally occupied parts of its territory in several areas, including through the installation of barbed wire and shipping containers — actions it says have prevented tens of thousands of civilians from returning to their homes.
Pen Bona said Cambodia remains committed to upholding a ceasefire and implementing all provisions of a joint statement issued on December 27, 2025, along with previous agreements.
He added that Cambodia recognises its boundary with Thailand as delimited by the Indochina-Siam Boundary Commission and based on the 1904–1907 Franco-Siamese treaties and associated maps and records, reiterating that Cambodia rejects any attempt to alter the border through the use of force.
Source: H.E Pen Bona, Spokesperson of the Royal Government of Cambodia
Reported by The Khmer Today
