A senior opposition figure has warned that armed conflict between Cambodia and Thailand could erupt again, saying the recent peace declaration between the two countries lacks legal force and cannot prevent further hostilities.
Mut Chantha, former chief of cabinet for the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party, wrote on Facebook that the Kuala Lumpur Joint Statement between Cambodia and Thailand is “not a treaty or formal agreement” with binding legal power. He argued that because it was never registered with the United Nations or ratified by national legislatures, it does not carry the weight of international law or provide any enforcement mechanism for violations.
He added that Thailand’s political system complicates matters further, as the military wields significant power over border policy, while the Thai monarchy retains ultimate authority. Chantha said nationalist factions in Thailand are exploiting border tensions as a political weapon to attack domestic rivals, especially the Shinawatra family.
The opposition figure also highlighted the geopolitical divide, noting that Thailand remains a long-standing U.S. ally, while Cambodia’s ruling establishment continues to view Washington with suspicion, rooted in Cold War-era animosities following the 1970 coup that overthrew King Norodom Sihanouk.
Thailand’s Khaosod newspaper reported on Wednesday that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced his government will no longer adhere to the four key provisions outlined in the Kuala Lumpur peace declaration, saying Thailand will now “define its own course of action.”
Meanwhile, The Washington Post quoted a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department as saying that President Donald Trump remains committed to ending the ongoing violence and expects both Cambodia and Thailand to “fully honor their pledge to resolve conflicts peacefully” under the joint peace agreement signed recently.
Observers say the situation underscores how fragile the diplomatic calm between the two countries has become, with shifting alliances and domestic politics threatening to push the border dispute back toward confrontation.
