In Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s National Assembly and Senate have unanimously approved a government proposal to take a border dispute with Thailand to the International Court of Justice.
The joint session, held on June 02, 2025, saw all 182 lawmakers in attendance voting in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s plan to pursue legal action over contested areas along the Cambodian-Thai border.
Speaking at the session, Prime Minister Hun Manet said that while Thailand has not agreed to submit the case to the court, Cambodia will proceed regardless. The government intends to file claims regarding three key sites: the Moum Bey area, and the temples of Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Touch, and Ta Krabey.
Hun Manet stated that the aim of the legal move is to resolve the long-standing border issue once and for all. He emphasized that using an international legal mechanism would help prevent future conflict and reduce the risk of armed confrontation or exploitation by extremist groups.
The Prime Minister also said he had instructed Cambodia’s Joint Border Committee to urgently arrange talks with Thai counterparts, with the goal of resuming technical work on demarcation and the installation of border markers.
Hun Manet stressed that although Cambodia is committed to peaceful resolution through technical and legal means, the country retains the right to defend its territorial integrity. He warned that in the event of military encroachment by Thai forces, Cambodia would consider all options, including the use of armed force.
In a separate address during the session, Senate President Hun Sen echoed the government’s position. He said Cambodia has already lost significant amounts of territory throughout its history, and now seeks only to defend the land it currently holds. Hun Sen made clear that Cambodia is not seeking foreign territory, nor is it attempting to reclaim lands lost in the past, but it will not allow further encroachment.
Tensions escalated recently when Cambodian and Thai troops clashed on May 28 near the Moum Bey area. The incident resulted in the death of one Cambodian soldier.
Responding to the incident on June 01, Thai military spokesman Winthai Suvari claimed that the contested area belongs to Thailand under international law. He rejected assertions by Hun Sen that the land falls within Cambodian territory.
Opposition figure Um Sam An of the Cambodia National Rescue Party commented on the matter via Facebook. He expressed support for Hun Manet’s decision, calling it a move that Cambodians across the political spectrum have long awaited.
Um Sam An urged the Prime Minister to expand Cambodia’s legal case to include other disputed areas such as Koh Kood, overlapping maritime zones, Koh Tral, the temples already mentioned, and the An Ses border pass. He also called for the government to formally accede to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Meanwhile, Man Nat, head of the Cambodian Watchdog Council, welcomed the government’s decision. He said the move aligns with the spirit of the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements, to which Thailand is a signatory, as well as the Franco-Siam treaties of 1904 and 1907. He added that multiple relevant international legal documents support Cambodia’s position.
