(Phnom Penh): As the world counts down to a historic moment—the signing of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement on October 26, 2025, in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump and ASEAN Chairman Anwar Ibrahim—Cambodia has demonstrated a clear and remarkable success through its “Quiet But Not Silent” strategy.

Over the past three days, from the JBC meeting to the special address by Prime Minister Hun Manet and the GBC meeting on October 23, Cambodia and Thailand have completed the final verification of agreed points ahead of the two leaders’ signing of the peace accord in Kuala Lumpur.

*A Strategy of Patience and Wisdom

The sequence of outcomes, together with the meaningful statements from the Head of the Royal Government of Cambodia, clearly shows that the Kingdom has implemented a policy of peace grounded in patience, wisdom, and strategic thinking—a powerful weapon that has transformed a period of tension into one of political stability and peace.

These achievements stem from concrete, lawful actions: the temporary joint measurements in disputed zones, the agreement to withdraw heavy weapons to original bases, and the signing of the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the establishment of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT).

All these demonstrate that Cambodia’s “quietness” is not silence, but a resolute voice of peace—implemented through international law and diplomacy along the national border.
*JBC Mechanism: Provisional Measurements that Preserve Sovereignty

At the JBC Meeting on October 21–22, both sides reached consensus on seven key points, including joint provisional measurements and temporary marker placements between boundary posts 42-47 in the villages of Chhork Chhey and Prey Chan.

The agreements covered:
• Rebuilding 15 border posts based on the original French-era designs.
• Constructing 3 submerged posts.
• Accelerating the 2003 TOR implementation using LiDAR ( Light Detection and Ranging ) technology to expedite surveying and demarcation.
• Conducting joint surveys between posts 42–47 through temporary technical measures.

Critically, Point 6 of the Joint Statement emphasized:

“The temporary demarcation is for surveying purposes only and does not affect the international boundary line.”

This clarification confirms that, regardless of any Thai attempts at a “salami slicing” strategy, the French-Siamese maps of 1904 and 1907, together with the ICJ rulings of 1962 and 2013, remain legally valid and binding.
The Cambodian lands affected in Chhork Chhey and Prey Chan therefore continue to lie under Cambodia’s legitimate sovereignty, as reaffirmed in Point 6 of the JBC Statement.

The meeting concluded with an agreement to hold the next JBC session in Siem Reap in January 2026, marking the continuation of dialogue in a spirit of peace and mutual respect.

*Hun Manet: “Peace Is the Supreme Weapon”

On October 23, 2025, Samdech Maha Bovor Thipadei Hun Manet issued a special message to all compatriots, emphasizing that border resolution is a complex task requiring patience, deep reflection, and the use of peaceful means.

He reaffirmed that the Royal Government’s core objective is to maintain stability and protect citizens’ lives by containing the situation and resolving issues on the ground swiftly. Cambodia, he said, has consistently relied on patience and peace as its main tools, since violence and warfare not only fail to solve problems but also worsen them.

“There is no agreement to cede any territory within the legitimate sovereignty of Cambodia to any country,” Hun Manet stated, adding “Cambodia does not violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of others, but will not allow anyone to encroach upon its own.”

Addressing the newly disputed areas in Chhork Chhey and Prey Chan, the Prime Minister explained that both countries agreed to implement a technical approach of joint measurements and temporary demarcation using the 1:200,000 map of the 1907 Treaty and the records of the French-Siamese Boundary Commission as a legal basis.

He described this as a law-based and mutually consensual method ensuring that solutions remain transparent, accurate, and sustainable.

This process, he added, enables both sides to verify actual civilian occupancy and pave the way for lasting peace and a return to normal life for border communities.

Hun Manet’s message conveyed that Cambodia’s silence is not weakness but strength—a demonstration of discipline, intellect, and commitment to protect national sovereignty through peaceful means.

It is a profound message that has inspired public confidence and made clear that Cambodia’s “silence” is a silence of strength and peaceful resolve.

*GBC Mechanism: Military Peace Steps Through ASEAN

Also on October 23, the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting between Cambodia and Thailand produced several significant results.

According to the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense, the two sides:

• Agreed on key mechanisms to reduce military tensions by drafting an Action Plan for the Relocation of Heavy Weapons and Equipment to their original bases, to be implemented under the supervision of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT).
• Adopted Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for humanitarian demining.
• Established a bilateral cooperation mechanism to combat cross-border crime and cyber scams.
• Agreed to hold the next GBC meeting on Cambodian soil within 90 days.
The GBC statement also indicated that these developments pave the way for the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers after the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement is signed.

*Conclusion: The Silence That Wins Wars

The combined results of the JBC and GBC meetings, together with the Prime Minister’s statement, represent the final stage before the historic signing of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement on October 26, 2025, witnessed by President Donald Trump and ASEAN Chairman Anwar Ibrahim.

This agreement will stand as a symbol of a new peace, ending conflict and opening a new era of cooperation between Cambodia and Thailand based on friendship and respect for international law.
These results demonstrate that peace is not a product of luck, but of intelligence, justice, and a steadfast adherence to international law.

This success confirms that Cambodia’s “Quiet But Not Silent” strategy is not only a means to end war but also a path to rebuild peace.

It is a silence that wins wars, a patience that turns conflict into peace, and a symbol of Cambodia’s new political success under Prime Minister Hun Manet’s leadership — a “Quiet But Not Silent” strategy that has brought peace through strength and wisdom.