(Phnom Penh): On Saturday afternoon (Nov. 13), Eat Sophea, Permanent Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, conducted a diplomatic briefing for members of the Diplomatic Corps and international organizations on recent developments in the Cambodia–Thailand border situation, particularly the landmine incident on 10 November 2025 and the unprovoked shooting by Thai forces at Cambodian civilians in Prey Chan Village, Banteay Meanchey Province, on 12 November 2025.

The Permanent Secretary of State informed the participants that Cambodia had lodged a formal protest against the unprovoked shooting by Thai forces, which resulted in the killing of one Cambodian civilian and the injuring of three others in Prey Chan Village, O Bei Chorn Commune, Banteay Meanchey Province, in the late afternoon of 12 November 2025.

She emphasized that this unlawful use of force—violating Cambodia’s sovereignty, international humanitarian law, and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and the ASEAN Charter—had also negatively affected ongoing demarcation work as agreed at the Special Meeting of the Cambodia–Thailand Joint Boundary Commission on 21–22 October 2025. She called for an investigation into this tragic shooting, with the participation of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT), and welcomed the support and engagement of all partners.

Regarding the landmine incident that injured a number of Thai soldiers on 10 November 2025, she underscored that, while it warrants an independent investigation, this single incident should not be allowed to derail the peace process. She expressed sincere sympathies for the injured Thai soldiers, while highlighting that the incident occurred in the vicinity of Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Temple—an area well known to be contaminated by landmines from Cambodia’s civil war of the 1980s.

She categorically rejected all allegations that Cambodian forces had laid new landmines.

Permanent Secretary of State EAT Sophea concluded her briefing by reaffirming Cambodia’s unwavering commitment to fully implementing the ceasefire agreement of 28 July and the KL Joint Declaration on the peaceful settlement of disputes, signed on 26 October 2025 by the Prime Ministers of Cambodia and Thailand.

The briefing was participated by senior officials from the Ministry of Defense, the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), and the State Secretariat of Border Affairs, who contributed to the clarification of specific facts regarding the two incidents.
=FRESH NEWS