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The Thai military is constructing a concrete wall in Chanthaburi on the Thai side which shares a border with Battambang province in Cambodia–an act viewed by a political analyst as moving away from the spirit of neighborly cooperation and toward a policy of unilateral enforcement.
Thai media outlet Khaosod reported that the military is building the border fence to “strengthen border security” and “improve safety for local residents”.
The construction is taking place between border markers 52 and 54 in Pong Nam Ron district, measuring 1,310 meters near a permanent border crossing on the Thai side that is shared with Kamrieng district in Cambodia.
Battambang provincial governor Sok Lou confirmed that the Thai military is building the border fence along the border makers which has been agreed by both sides.
“The construction doesn’t affect Khmer territory as they measured [the distance from] the markers agreed in the Franco-Siamese convention and treaties,” Lou said, referring further questions to the State Secretariat Border Affairs when a reporter asked whether Thailand had informed Cambodia about the construction.
Both Kamrieng district police chief Ve Kimchat and district governor Sok Kimkhon declined to comment.
Cambodia’s Joint Commission on Demarcation of Land Boundary (JBC) has several times informed the Thai side (JCB) of resuming the placing of temporary markers at a few segments, including pillars 52-59 in Kamrieng district, since February but the Thai side has repeatedly postponed this project.
Tensions remain high along the 817-km (508-mile) border shared by the two countries with Phnom Penh accusing Thai forces of occupying previously undisputed territory, an allegation Bangkok denied.
More than 100 people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced during outbreaks of fighting in July and December before the two sides agreed to a U.S.-backed truce in July and a bilateral ceasefire in December.
Asia-Pacific geopolitical analyst Seng Vanly opined that the building of the border wall signals a move away from the spirit of neighborly cooperation and toward a policy of unilateral enforcement, which naturally creates a sense of unease and distrust.
“By building permanent structures in areas that are still subject to broader diplomatic discussion, Thailand is essentially creating a fait accompli,” Vanly told CamboJA News. “This makes it much harder for Cambodia to negotiate on an even playing field as the physical reality of a concrete and steel wall often overrides the theoretical lines on a map.”
“This approach can be perceived as unfriendly because it bypasses the consultative frameworks that are supposed to manage these sensitive border zones, replacing dialogue with a show of force,” he remarked.
Government spokesperson Pen Bona, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Chann Rotana, and State Secretariat of Border Affairs Minister Lam Chea could not be reached for comment.
National Defense spokesperson Maly Socheat referred questions back to the State Secretariat of Border Affairs.
Thailand’s Ministry of Defence spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri replied that they would need time to reply as the questions involved responses from a few authorities.
