Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said in an interview with Cambodian National Television on the evening of October 20 that, at the second compulsory conciliation meeting between Cambodia and Thailand under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Cambodian side proposed restoring the level of both countries’ diplomatic representatives to strengthen direct communication and handle the dispute through diplomacy.
Prak Sokhonn said that, due to the border conflict, the level of the two countries’ diplomatic representatives had been reduced to second secretaries. The two sides had previously agreed to exchange deputy chiefs of mission, but the arrangement had not been implemented because of tensions along the border. Cambodia hopes to restore diplomatic representatives to the appropriate level as soon as possible and strengthen communication between the two countries’ prime ministers and foreign ministers.
He explained that Cambodia proposed four confidence-building measures: avoiding inflammatory statements, avoiding threats or the use of force, raising the level of diplomatic representatives, and fully implementing existing agreements, especially the ceasefire agreement of December 27, 2025. Prak Sokhonn said that the conciliation commission supported the relevant proposals. The two sides also agreed to establish a direct hotline between naval commanders to address maritime incidents promptly.
In response to Thailand’s claim that Cambodia was “playing the victim,” Prak Sokhonn said Cambodia did not need to play the victim because “we are victims to begin with.” He stated that Cambodia did not recognize the Thai army’s occupation of Cambodian territory and that more than 20,000 Cambodian civilians were still unable to return home, calling on Thailand to fulfill the existing agreements.
Prak Sokhonn stressed that land and maritime boundary disputes should be resolved through their respective legal frameworks, but the situation on land could still affect maritime negotiations. Cambodia will continue to explain the situation to the international community and safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Under the arrangements, the third UNCLOS conciliation meeting between Cambodia and Thailand will be held in Kuala Lumpur from November 23 to 27, while the fourth meeting is planned for late January 2027 in The Hague.
