Cambodia rejects claims of land ceding to Thailand

Cambodia’s Foreign Ministry has firmly denied allegations that it has ceded territory to Thailand, insisting that ongoing work along the border is strictly about demarcation, not concession.

On 27 March, Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn led diplomats and representatives of international organisations to Pursat province, where Thai armed forces have been accused of occupying land in Veal Veng district. Addressing the group, Sokhonn stressed that Cambodia’s position is clear: land surveys are conducted jointly with Thai teams, and any territory found to belong to Thailand is returned, while Cambodian land must be respected.

The ministry’s clarification came after social media posts claimed Sokhonn had suggested Cambodia would “subdivide land” for Thailand in exchange for peace. Officials dismissed the statement as entirely false, warning against misinformation that could inflame tensions.

Sokhonn told observers that the Thai military had used force to take over disputed areas, installing barbed wire, shipping containers and raising the Thai flag. Cambodia, he said, remains committed to resolving disputes peacefully, guided by international law and historic treaties — notably the Franco-Siamese agreements of 1904 and 1907, which established the boundary maps still in use today.

The ministry reiterated that both countries are obliged to return land found to be occupied beyond the agreed line. Since 2000, the Joint Boundary Commission has worked to measure and verify the frontier, aiming for lasting peace and shared prosperity.

Officials underlined that Cambodia rejects any attempt to redraw borders by force, and will continue to raise the issue in regional and international forums. For Phnom Penh, the message is clear: the dispute is about demarcation, not concession, and Cambodia will not cede land to its neighbour.

-2026-03-31