In an interview with Reuters in Washington, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet accused Thai forces of occupying Cambodian territory despite a December ceasefire that followed renewed border clashes last year. He said troops from Thailand remained inside areas Cambodia considers its sovereign land, calling it a violation of territorial integrity. Bangkok denied reinforcing positions, saying deployments comply with the joint statement. Hun Manet urged Thailand to activate the Joint Boundary Commission to demarcate the disputed 817-km frontier and stabilize what he described as a fragile situation. The fighting, the worst in over a decade, displaced hundreds of thousands and disrupted cross-border trade. A previous October accord brokered by Donald Trump and Malaysia briefly collapsed before the latest truce. Hun Manet, who succeeded his father in 2023, expressed hope that Trump’s new peace board could help de-escalate tensions. He also highlighted warming ties with the United States while maintaining balanced relations with China. Addressing criticism, he defended Cambodia’s human rights record and pledged stronger action against cyber scam networks, following U.S. sanctions targeting fraud operations based in the country.
Rising tensions between Cambodia and Thailand are bad for Southeast Asia because they could hurt the region’s stability and economic cooperation. Hun Manet said that Thai troops are still in land that Cambodia considers its own, even though a ceasefire was reached in December. Thailand, on the other hand, says it didn’t break the deal. The fighting, which has been called the worst in more than ten years, has forced hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes and stopped trade across borders that local economies depend on. If tensions keep rising, regional groups like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations might get involved, which could lead to more instability. The disagreement also shows how Cambodia is trying to keep good relations with both the US and China at the same time.