Thai - Cambodia Conflict Thai-Cambodian Border Issues: Talks and Tensions

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Tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border remain high, casting doubt on the effectiveness of a recently agreed ceasefire. Despite signing a 13-point ceasefire during a General Border Committee meeting in Malaysia on August 7, both nations are accusing each other of provocations and misinformation, threatening stability in the region.

 

The ongoing conflict centres on the Ban Nong Chan area in Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province. This location, once a refugee camp for Cambodians escaping the Khmer Rouge era, is now a point of contention, with Cambodia urging Thailand to dismantle barbed wire fences. Many Cambodian refugees chose not to return after the conflict, citing security fears, and have since expanded their settlements, declaring the area as Cambodian land. Meanwhile, Cambodia counters Thailand's historical border demarcation claims.

 

Further fuelling tensions are clashes in the Chong An Ma area of Nam Yuen district, Ubon Ratchathani province. Here, Cambodian soldiers have obstructed Thai efforts to deploy an Interim Observer Team and have, at times, physically cut through barbed wire, escalating confrontations. This is in breach of a Memorandum of Understanding from 2000. The area has seen Cambodian families settling, setting up homes and markets, turning into another flashpoint after previous skirmishes.

 

Over the past weeks, since the ceasefire, Thailand has faced what it claims to be an information warfare campaign from Cambodia, with accusations ranging from false reports of landmines to staged incidents and alleged airstrikes on civilian zones. Further confusion arose regarding the Preah Vihear Temple, with misleading claims about damages and the use of chemical weapons, intensified by images of soldiers in gas masks.

 

The situation is further complicated by alleged surveillance, with drones flying over Thai territories, believed to be operated by either foreign entities or groups affected by the border closure. These developments come amid comments from Cambodian former opposition leader Sam Rainsy, highlighting Cambodia's alleged scammer industry.

 

Efforts to resolve the tensions have continued through bilateral discussions under the Thailand-Cambodia Regional Border Committee. However, meetings, including one on August 16 in Trat province, led by Vice Admiral Apichat Sapprasert, have seen little progress. Key issues such as mine clearance and anti-scammer operations remain unresolved, with Cambodia resisting mine clearance operations and Thailand refusing to dismantle border fences.

 

Upcoming meetings in Sa Kaeo, scheduled for August 22 and August 27 in Ubon Ratchathani, will focus on similar proposals but are also set to address troop movements. These discussions are critical as they will shape the upcoming General Border Committee meeting in September, where senior military figures from both countries, including Thai Deputy Defence Minister Gen Natthaphon Narkphanit and Cambodian Defence Minister Gen Tea Seiha, will convene.

 

China has offered to mediate landmine clearance discussions, a move which might pressure Cambodia into concessions if the stakes become high. However, the matter of anti-scammer operations appears deferred, possibly awaiting input from Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet.

 

A September meeting of the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission is also on the horizon, aimed at addressing persistent and emergent issues, notably in areas like Chong Bok in Ubon Ratchathani. This ongoing set of challenges reflects how deeply entrenched and cyclic the border issue is, with proposed solutions consistently facing significant opposition, leaving no indication of a quick resolution.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Nation 2025-08-22