(Phnom Penh): The State Secretariat of Border Affairs wishes to protest and express deep concern over the latest reports released by various Thai official websites, in particular by the websites of the Spokesperson’s Office of the Royal Thai Navy, the Chanthaburi-Trat Border Defence Command, and The Nation Thailand, which cast Cambodian citizens as literally “invading” Thailand’s territory within the 17 locations along the border from Pursat to Koh Kong Province, including the area of Veal Veng District, Pursat Province, Cambodia, which is opposite to Mueang District, Trat Province, Thailand.

Regarding the above issue, the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) – Cambodian side sent a Letter of Protest to the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) – Thai side on 24 September 2025. The State Secretariat of Border Affairs would like to inform the national and international public as follows:

1. The statement made by the Spokesperson of the Royal Thai Navy and the Chanthaburi-Trat Border Defence Command constitutes a threat to apply, by force, unilateral demarcation which violates the Memorandum of Understanding 2000 (MOU 2000), and infringe, especially, upon the mandate of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) of the two countries and undermine the outcomes and efforts already achieved, as well as the ongoing and future negotiations of the JBC of both sides.

2. The aforementioned unilateral actions constitute an act of provocation that may lead to an increase of tension along the border, and constitute a violation of the Ceasefire Agreement dated 28 July 2025, the Agreed Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) on 7 August 2025, and the outcomes of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Regional Border Committee (RBC)—especially the Agreed Minutes of the 1st Special GBC Meeting dated 10 September 2025, in which both sides agreed to prevent any actions that undermine mutual trust, cause misunderstandings, escalate border tensions, or expand the scope and scale of the conflict.

3. The survey and demarcation works are an exclusive mandate of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) of the two countries, with no other mechanism or institution having authority over this matter. In this regard, the State Secretariat of Border Affairs calls on the Thai side to address the above issue and resolve it through the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) whose meeting is scheduled to convene in the near future.

Once again, the State Secretariat of Border Affairs would like to reiterate its firm and unwavering commitment to resolving the work of survey and demarcation peacefully, in accordance with international law and the agreements mutually accepted by both parties.
=FRESH NEWS