Thailand recently denied that its troops had entered Cambodia, calling the allegations a distortion of facts and drawing strong Cambodian attention. Cambodia said its position rested on clear facts and that Thai troops were stationed within Cambodian sovereign territory. Pursat’s local administration said Thai troops had penetrated several disputed areas, surrounded civilian zones, installed barbed wire and established semi-permanent military positions beyond normal patrol or law-enforcement activity.
Cambodia argued that international law clearly defined sovereignty and that an unauthorised foreign military presence violated it. It said Cambodia had never authorised Thai deployments on its territory, so border-enforcement or historical explanations could not legitimise them. Cambodia also viewed Thailand’s denial and minimisation as an effort to change existing conditions by first denying, then entrenching and eventually normalising the activities.
The actions were also considered inconsistent with the ceasefire understanding reached on December 27 last year. The agreement required both sides to stop provocations and maintain the military positions existing at the ceasefire, but Cambodia said new Thai defences and expanded control had damaged civilians’ homes, farmland and infrastructure. Cambodia called for Thailand to return to existing mechanisms such as the Joint Boundary Commission, accept neutral verification and resolve differences through dialogue and regional frameworks to preserve border stability and regional peace.
Compiled by this station.