Cambodia’s ruling party leader Hun Sen has called on all Cambodian citizens to unite under a single nationalist movement to counter what he describes as Thailand’s aggressive ambitions toward Cambodian territory.
Writing on his official Facebook page on June 30, Senate President Hun Sen said Thailand continues to harbor territorial desires toward Cambodia and warned that the country must prepare for a long-term struggle. He said Cambodia must be ready to respond through military, political, diplomatic and legal means.
Hun Sen cited recent statements by Thai ultra-nationalist politicians as evidence of what he described as Thailand’s persistent expansionist mindset. He urged Cambodia to reinforce its armed forces, strengthen national defense at the grassroots level and accelerate border negotiations to demarcate the frontier with Thailand.
He warned that as long as the land boundary between the two countries remains unsettled, the risk of military conflict is high and difficult to avoid. He said his message was intended to alert Cambodians to be prepared to resist what he termed territorial intrusions.
Hun Sen’s comments follow the circulation of a widely shared video on Facebook in which Sondhi Limthongkul, a former leader of Thailand’s Yellow Shirt movement, claims that if he were to win national elections and gain full control of government, he would launch a military campaign to seize Cambodian provinces including Battambang, Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, Preah Vihear and Koh Kong. He also claimed he would push further into Cambodia to capture the capital, Phnom Penh.
The border between Cambodia and Thailand stretches approximately 850 kilometers and runs through seven Cambodian provinces: Pailin, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Preah Vihear, Koh Kong and Pursat.
Tensions have flared since May 28 when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a border clash in the Mom Bei area, one of several contested zones between the two nations. The skirmish has reignited long-standing disputes and prompted fears of wider conflict.
In response to the incident, Cambodia immediately called on Thailand to resolve the issue through the International Court of Justice in The Hague. However, Thailand has repeatedly rejected the proposal and instead signaled a readiness to engage in further confrontation.
Most recently, Boonsin Padklang, commander of Thailand’s Second Army Region, stated that Thailand would not accept any settlement of the border dispute through the ICJ. He asserted that Thailand would prefer military action to reclaim four disputed zones along the border.
The Cambodian government has yet to respond formally to Boonsin Padklang’s remarks. Regional observers warn that without progress on negotiations, the risk of escalation remains.
