The 2000 MoU states that the two parties have to follow the 1907 maps

[geovalin]

 

 

Cambodia is taking its long-simmering border dispute with Thailand to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), reigniting a century-old row rooted in colonial-era treaties and conflicting interpretations of international agreements.

 

At the heart of the dispute are four temple sites—Ta Krabey, Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Tauch, and the Mom Bei area—nestled in the Dângrêk Mountains. While Cambodia insists these sites fall squarely within its territory as defined by the 1904 and 1907 Franco-Siamese treaties, Thailand argues that such issues must be resolved bilaterally under the terms of a 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

 

The MoU, signed by both countries, obliges them to conduct joint boundary surveys using historical treaties and colonial maps. But its interpretation is now fiercely contested. Cambodia maintains that the MoU reinforces the legal authority of French-era treaties and maps, particularly the Annex I Map that placed Preah Vihear Temple—and by extension the nearby sites—within Cambodia. Thailand, however, contends the MoU requires all disputes to be settled through the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) and does not permit unilateral referral to the ICJ.

 

In a formal letter to the UN General Assembly last month, Cambodia’s UN Ambassador Keo Chhea requested the matter be added to the agenda under “prevention of armed conflict.” He warned that ongoing tensions could escalate dangerously if not resolved through international arbitration.

 

“We believe peace must be built on justice and respect for international law,” Chhea wrote. “Only then can our nations live side by side as good neighbours.”

 

Thailand responded firmly, reiterating its commitment to resolving the issue through the JBC framework and accusing Cambodia of bypassing agreed diplomatic channels.

 

The dispute’s origins stretch back to the colonial era, when France, representing its Cambodian protectorate, negotiated a series of treaties with Siam (now Thailand). The 1907 treaty, and maps produced thereafter, remain central to Cambodia’s case. These same documents helped Cambodia win its 1962 ICJ case over Preah Vihear.

 

Now, as Cambodia prepares to argue its case again in The Hague, both countries stand at a diplomatic crossroads—one leaning toward international law, the other toward bilateral negotiation. Whether this latest chapter ends in court or compromise may define the region’s fragile peace for years to come.

 

-2025-07-07