(Phnom Penh): Along the Cambodia–Thailand border near Prey Chan and Chhork Chey villages, the atmosphere remains calm yet heavily guarded, as security forces stationed there continue to carry out their responsibilities with vigilance. Technical teams from both Cambodia and Thailand have been conducting the joint survey of Border Posts 42 to 47, strictly based on the historical French documents known as the Procès Verbaux of 1908–1909 and 1919–1920—the only legitimate foundation for identifying precise border coordinates.

However, while technical teams are working cautiously on the ground to conduct these surveys in a sensitive and disputed area, certain opposition groups and individuals living abroad have attempted to distort, fabricate, and exaggerate information on social media with the clear intention of misleading both national and international audiences.

These groups have amplified claims of “losing territory” and “relocated border posts” using commentary completely devoid of credible sources or any form of internationally recognized legal documentation. Such unfounded accusations reveal their lack of understanding of border science and technical mapping procedures. More importantly, their rhetoric exposes the reality that they have never participated in border surveying-not even a single millimeter- of actual border surveying on Cambodian soil.

Surveying Border Posts 42–47 Is Not a Loss of Territory—It Is a Professional Technical Process
In the context of Cambodia and Thailand implementing the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement signed on 26 October 2025—witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim—the surveying and temporary staking of Border Posts 42 to 47 is not an act of ceding Cambodian territory. It is a standard technical procedure based strictly on internationally recognized legal documents, particularly the Procès Verbaux of 1908–1909 and 1919–1920, as well as the conclusions of the Cambodia–Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting held on 21–22 October 2025.

By contrast, claims that Cambodia has “lost 2–3 kilometers of territory” represent nothing more than attempts to inflame nationalist sentiment through misinformation, lacking both expertise and evidence. These claims aim to undermine the peace process and push the region back toward armed confrontation rather than lawful and diplomatic solutions.

The Cambodia–Thailand Border Is Not Defined by Social Media Posts

Border issues are not trivial matters that can be simplified by posting a single map online and making two or three emotionally charged comments on Facebook or YouTube to stir public anger. The Cambodia–Thailand border is defined by:

• The Procès Verbaux of the Indochina–Siam Boundary Commission (1908–1909)
• The Procès Verbaux of the Indochina–Siam Demarcation Commission (1919–1920)
• Official maps jointly recognized by France and Siam
• The conclusions and minutes of the Cambodia–Thailand JBC and RBC in the modern era

This means the border cannot—and will not—change based on commentary, speculation, or emotionally charged narratives spread by individuals without technical or legal qualifications. Borders are established through legitimate documentation and international law—not social media rhetoric.

Therefore, the use of terms such as “loss of land” or “shifted border posts” by extremist groups abroad does not constitute a legal argument. It is merely agitation and emotional manipulation, lacking substance, weight, and credibility—particularly in today’s era of fast, verifiable information.

The Border Survey Is a Professional, Scientific Process—Not a Loss of Territorial Integrity
A senior official from the Secretariat of Border Affairs has made it clear that the survey of Border Posts 42–47 is being carried out with the highest level of precision, responsibility, and adherence to the legal foundations established by French colonial-era documentation.

This means:

• Technical teams have no authority to redraw the border or produce new maps. They must comply with pre-existing legal documents.
• The survey process simply overlays modern GPS and technical tools onto the original legally recognized boundary line, ensuring total consistency with the Procès Verbaux of 1908–1909 and 1919–1920.
• Temporary joint stakes are merely interim markers, placed to guide the next technical phases before final demarcation. They do not establish new borders or alter existing ones.

Extremist Political Behavior: Choosing Conflict Over Peace

In recent weeks, certain overseas extremist groups have aggressively circulated fabricated claims about the border situation near Prey Chan and Chhork Chey. Their allegations are not supported by any legitimate legal evidence or international documentation.

Their claims cannot withstand scrutiny because they fail to provide even one piece of verifiable documentation, such as:

• The original Procès Verbaux
• Jointly signed Franco–Siamese maps
• Technical coordinates or scientific mapping data
• JBC or RBC minutes recognized under the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement

Rather than presenting evidence, these groups rely on inflammatory rhetoric and baseless accusations—such as alleging that the government is “trading land for power”—to manipulate public emotion and ignite false nationalist sentiment.
This behavior reflects a form of “performative nationalism”—a digital façade that has nothing to do with protecting Cambodia’s territorial integrity or promoting peace. Instead, it represents a reckless political tactic aimed at undermining the peace process, dismissing the principles of international law, and, in reality, advancing foreign political agendas that risk pulling Cambodia back into regional instability.

Conclusion
A national border is not a red line on a computer screen or a black line on paper—it is a structure built upon history, legal agreements, and the sacrifices of previous generations who defined and protected it since the early 20th century.
Today, Cambodia stands firmly on the pillars of peace, international law, and legitimate documentation as it resolves its border issues with Thailand under the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement. The surveying and temporary staking of Border Posts 42–47 are simply one step among many in a lawful process that strengthens the clarity and legal integrity of our border and reduces the risks of renewed conflict. They are not steps toward losing territory.
The inflammatory allegations by overseas extremist groups—accusing the government of “land loss” or “trading territory for power”—are irresponsible fabrications without evidence. Their intent is to provoke anger, sow division, and undermine national unity. These voices do not seek peace or protect the nation; they aim to drag Cambodia back into a dark past of conflict and instability.
Our generation must understand one essential responsibility:
to defend peace and territorial integrity through law, evidence, and sound judgment—not through anger, emotion, or manufactured narratives that lead only to conflict.