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Following Senate President Hun Sen’s criticism of Thailand’s border tactics at the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC-2), brickbat between the Cambodian and Thai Senate leaders returned to the unresolved issue of frontline border areas.
Last Thursday, Prime Minister Hun Manet and his father, Hun Sen, accused Thailand of stalling the border ceasefire deal and encroaching Cambodian territory, with Hun Sen branding it a form of modern “discredit warfare”. According to Hun Sen, it is an exploitation of a country’s internal vulnerabilities, citing online scam networks and human rights criticism, to pressure a government, undermine its institutions and damage its international standing.
A day later, the Thai senate released a statement rejecting Cambodia’s accusation and saying “Cambodia has, once again, used an international forum to disseminate unfounded allegations and misinformation” and “using its well-worn tactic to present itself as a victim”. The Thai statement called on both sides to address the challenges facing them, such as online scams and demining, in order to improve the atmosphere and move relations forward.
The Cambodian Senate responded with a statement on August 30, rejecting all claims made by Thailand and issued a warning while terming Thailand’s action as a “salami-slicing strategy” in reference to incremental ground changes used to support territorial claims.
“This clearly reflects Thailand’s undeniable tactic of creating a fait accompli on Cambodian territory,” read the statement, while calling Thailand to withdraw and allow displaced civilians to return home safely.
Independent Cambodian political analyst Seng Vannly opined that Thailand’s use of online scams as a pretext to occupy territory or create new conditions along the border violates existing agreements and international law, specifically Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force against territorial integrity.
For allegations of a salami-slicing strategy to carry legal weight, Cambodia must provide maps and evidence that can be independently verified by third parties, as a ceasefire cannot generate new sovereign rights, he told CamboJA News.
Vanly remarked that the validity of the ceasefire agreement, signed on December 27, 2025, remains a functional mechanism to prevent war, but mutual trust is eroding due to troop incursions. Maintaining the ceasefire depends on the ASEAN Observer Team and the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) to verify real conditions on the ground, he said.
“This agreement is not a peace treaty to settle the border dispute, but a mechanism to stop shootings, halt troop advances, and create conditions for the JBC to continue its work,” he added.
As for utilizing international mechanisms, he pointed out that ASEAN offers immediate benefits for monitoring the ceasefire, whereas the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is crucial for legal disputes over sovereignty, though the court requires consent from the involved parties and a clear legal basis for jurisdiction.
“International law cannot guarantee an automatic win for smaller nations, but it limits one-sided power and creates a framework where evidence and the law carry more weight than brute force,” Vanly said.
Meanwhile, political analyst Meas Nee noted that the prolonged border crisis has caused a “severe loss of trust” between the people of both nations, which will take a “long time” to restore, with border closures bringing cross-border trade to near zero in some areas, severely impacting communities on both sides.
“This loss of trust between our peoples is even graver than losing territory,” he said, adding that even with a resolution of the land dispute and reclaiming territory, there is no guarantee of Cambodians trusting Thais or their goods again. “This boycott could persist for decades or another 10 to 20 years before mutual trust can be rebuilt.”
On the ground, provincial officials confirmed that displaced families are still unable to return home and continue to face restricted movement.
Banteay Meanchey provincial spokesperson Ly Sovannarith told CamboJA News that the situation in areas, such as Prey Chan, Chok Chey and Boeung Trarkuon, have not changed. They remain classified by Thai troops as “Thai territory”. He noted that Cambodian residents are only permitted to farm if their land is located “outside the classified zones”.
Preah Vihear Deputy Governor Kim Chanpanha told CamboJA News that 691 families have yet to return home due to safety risks in the red zone.
Yim Sophal, a displaced resident in Preah Vihear, said their household income has been affected by the border conflict, with only her husband earning from construction work. He makes 20,000 riel (approximately $5) a day, which is not enough to feed their family of seven.
In addition, her children have not attended school since the second clash occurred last December. “I just want my children to get an education, that is all; because we are poor, we have nothing to give them except education […] I pray for peace in our country and for the war to stop,” said the 34-year-old when asked if she had any wish.
