Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has voiced strong concern over what he described as Thailand’s provocative military activity near the two countries’ shared border. He questioned whether Thailand’s actions were aimed at easing tensions or escalating them, after Thai forces reportedly expanded road access and brought in heavy weapons close to Cambodian military lines.
Speaking during a ceremony marking the 32nd anniversary of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces’ elite unit, Hun Manet called on Thailand to respect previous agreements and cease drone overflights and military movements into Cambodian territory.
Hun Manet said that to maintain mutual trust between frontline troops on both sides, each country must uphold its commitments through dialogue. He urged Thailand to suspend all military actions near the border, particularly patrols and drone activity, which he warned could trigger conflict if left unchecked.
He further stressed that both militaries should notify each other of any planned movements or patrols near the border and must avoid advancing into buffer zones or relocating troops without prior communication.
Thai newspaper Bangkok Post reported on July 14 that Thailand’s influential Second Army Region commander said talks were underway with Cambodia to scale back long-range weapons deployments and restore troop levels to those agreed in 2024.
Tensions have risen in recent weeks following a Cambodian Ministry of National Defence statement issued on June 17, accusing Thailand of stepping up drone surveillance, digging trenches, moving weapons and building infrastructure along the border in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces. The Cambodian government also claimed Thailand had increased its troop numbers in those areas, though Thai authorities have not acknowledged the allegations.
Border tensions between the two countries escalated following a May 28 incident in which a Cambodian soldier was killed during what Phnom Penh described as an unprovoked Thai attack on a Cambodian army post in Preah Vihear province’s Mom Bei area. The confrontation led to the closure of a key border crossing from June 23.
In response, Cambodia has formally notified Thailand of its intention to file a case with the International Court of Justice, or ICJ, concerning four contested areas: the temples of Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Toch, Ta Krabei and the Mome Bai region.
However, as of now, Cambodia has yet to submit an official complaint to the ICJ regarding the border dispute.
