Cambodian Governor Urges Thailand to Honor Border Agreements, Avoid Escalation

POIPET, Cambodia (Sept.19,2025) — The governor of Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province on Thursday urged Thai authorities to respect existing border agreements and refrain from actions that could escalate tensions along the shared frontier.

Gov. Oum Reatrey made the appeal following a bilateral meeting held Sept. 17 at the Poipet International Border Checkpoint between Cambodian and Thai provincial officials. In a letter addressed to Sakao, the governor of Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province, Reatrey outlined four principles aimed at maintaining peace and resolving ongoing border disputes.

The first principle calls on Thailand to maintain the status quo and adhere to previous agreements, including a cease-fire signed July 28, outcomes from the Extraordinary General Border Committee meeting on Aug. 7, the Regional Border Committee meetings, and the Special GBC meeting held Sept. 10.

Cambodian officials emphasized that unresolved issues should be addressed through the Joint Border Committee, not through unilateral actions.

The second point urges respect for international legal frameworks governing the border, particularly the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding and the 2003 Terms of Reference. Cambodian authorities requested that Thai forces remove physical barriers—such as barbed wire, canvas covers and vehicle tires—and allow Cambodian citizens to return to their homes in disputed areas.

The third principle advises both sides to avoid provocative actions, including the installation of additional barbed wire, issuance of land titles in contested zones, damage to local property, or any activities in areas not jointly approved by the JBC.

The fourth recommendation suggests that matters beyond the jurisdiction of local authorities be escalated to higher-level mechanisms, including the General Border Committee or the bilateral 8C Mechanism, which oversees broader cooperation between the two nations.

Reatrey said the meeting and subsequent proposals were prompted by growing concern over a recent border incident involving alleged violence by Thai police against Cambodian citizens in Banteay Meanchey.

Cambodian officials reiterated their commitment to resolving disputes peacefully and called on their Thai counterparts to do the same through established diplomatic channels.