Cambodia asked Thailand to take their border dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) during the Cambodian-Thai Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) meeting in Phnom Penh, while rejecting Thailand’s use of a unilateral map that Cambodia alleges is the “root of ongoing tensions”. Both sides have agreed to meet again in September 2025.
The two-day JBC meeting, which began on Saturday and concluded on Sunday, aimed to revive talks on land border demarcation following a deadly May 28 skirmish near a disputed area that left one Cambodian soldier dead.
Although both governments publicly called for diplomacy, Thailand scaled back opening hours at several border checkpoints late Saturday, further straining relations.
In a JBC press release issued after the meeting, Lam Chea, Minister in charge of the Secretariat of State of Border Affairs, said the discussion was held in a “friendly and understanding atmosphere” with an “open and positive dialogue”.
“In the interest of ensuring a fair, impartial, and lasting solution to the border issue for both countries, the Cambodian side has requested the Thai side to join the process of bringing the border dispute—concerning the Tamoan Thom, Tamoan Touch, Ta Krabey temples, and the Mom Bei area—to the ICJ,” he said.
Chea added that Cambodia would proceed with legal action independently, even though Thailand rejected the ICJ’s jurisdiction.
Accordingly, Cambodia reiterated its refusal to recognize the map unilaterally drawn and used by Thailand as a reference, calling it the source of “chronic border disputes in the past, present, and future.”
That being said, Cambodia affirmed its commitment to cooperate with Thailand through the JBC framework to advance border measurements and demarcation beyond the four disputed areas included in its ICJ submission.
Both parties also approved four key agendas: the minutes of the 4th Cambodia-Thailand Joint Technical Sub-Committee meeting in July 2024; to review proposed revisions to the 2003 Terms of Reference on orthophoto map production; approve the deployment of a joint survey team for border demarcation; and discuss measurement guidelines for Sector 6 from previous JBC meetings 2009.
Amid the talks, Cambodia officially submitted a request to the ICJ to resolve the border dispute with Thailand concerning Tamoan Thom, Tamoan Touch, and Ta Krabey temples, as well as the Mom Bei area.
Thai media reported that the Thai Army accused Cambodian troops of “deploying weapons” near the border, calling it a threat to national security, leading to Thai forces adjusting its position.
Chhum Socheat, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, did not respond by the time of publication.
Political analyst Meas Nee told CamboJa News that the JBC meeting primarily served to maintain diplomatic relations between Cambodia and Thailand, ease tensions and prevent potential conflict.
However, he noted that Thailand still “harbors ambitions” to occupy disputed land and continues to allow its border troops to provoke incidents—actions he interprets as a clear sign that Thailand lacks genuine intent to resolve the issue.
“The Thai side doesn’t appear willing to settle the matter anytime soon—they’re allowing it to drag,” he said. “Cambodia, as the owner of the land, must accelerate efforts to bring the case before the ICJ, let it render a decision, and continue cooperating with Thailand to demarcate the remaining border areas.”
Meanwhile, Chhin Rathanak, spokesperson for Koh Kong province, told CamboJA News that the Cham Yeam International Checkpoint in Koh Kong began restricting the entry of vegetable and fruit trucks from Thailand to Cambodia at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
He noted that the restriction, issued by the provincial governor, applies only to goods transport—citizens and tourists are still allowed to cross the border as usual.
However, he said he could not confirm when the gate would fully reopen to trade, but the situation is “normal”.
Pen Bona, spokesperson for the Cambodian government, told CamboJA News that Cambodia’s action is in response to the Thai military’s unilateral decision to reduce border gate operating hours in an ”apparent attempt to pressure Cambodia”.
He explained that as a first step, Cambodia adjusted its gate opening time to 9 a.m., with Cambodian authorities identifying key border gates through which Thailand exports significant volumes of goods. He said Cambodia is prepared to close those gates as a countermeasure—effectively causing “Thai goods to be stuck at the border”.
“The gate that we determine to be Thailand’s lifeline—we will close,” he said, adding that further actions will depend on assessments made by Cambodian provincial governors along the border to identify the most crucial trade points for Thai exports to Cambodia.
On Friday, the Immigration Department announced Cambodia’s complete closure of its side of the Daung International Border Checkpoint with Thailand in Battambang province, citing the need to maintain the security and safety of citizens.
