Thailand’s army said on Saturday that it would take control of the opening and closing of all checkpoints on the border with Cambodia as tensions simmer following a deadly clash a week ago.
Cambodia had reinforced its military presence with troops and equipment on the border, the Thai army said in a statement.
For days, the two governments have exchanged carefully worded statements committing to dialogue after a brief skirmish in an undemarcated border area in Ubon Rathchathani on May 28 in which a Cambodian soldier was killed.
But on Saturday Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai issued a statement reaffirming the government’s stance against violations of sovereignty, saying Thailand would strengthen its defences, as Cambodia had rejected a request to withdraw troops from disputed areas.
The request was made during talks between Mr Phumtham and his Cambodian counterpart Gen Tea Seiha on Thursday in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo province in Thailand.
The Cambodian Defence Ministry issued a statement saying it rejected Thailand’s request for Cambodia to withdraw its troops from the area where the clashes occurred on May 28, the Phnom Penh Post reported on Friday.
The troops had been stationed in the area, which is within Cambodia’s sovereign territory, for a long time, it said.
Mr Phumtham, also a deputy prime minister in charge of security affairs, said on Saturday that some of the information released to the public after Thursday’s meeting in Sa Kaeo might be inconsistent with the actual content.
“It is regrettable that our proposal aimed at reducing confrontation and fostering peace was rejected,” he said. “Moreover, the Cambodian military reinforcements have escalated tensions.
“Consequently, the Royal Thai Government has deemed it necessary to implement additional measures and to reinforce our military posture accordingly.”
He did not provide details on the extent of reinforcements by either side.
The Thai army said Cambodian soldiers and civilians had repeatedly made incursions into Thai territory.
“These provocations, and the buildup of military forces, indicate a clear intent to use force,” it said, adding that it would take control of all Thai checkpoints along the border with Cambodia.
A spokesperson for Cambodia’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters. (Story continues below)
Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra meet reporters after a National Security Council meeting on Friday. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)
Long-running dispute
Thailand and Cambodia have for more than a century contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817-kilometre land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony.
Cambodia said this week that it would refer disputes over four parts of the border to the International Court of Justice and asked Thailand to cooperate.
But Mr Phumtham reiterated on Saturday that Thailand does not recognise the jurisdiction of the court and proposed that all boundary-related issues be resolved through bilateral negotiations.
Mr Phumtham’s statement also reiterated four key points related to Thailand’s position, as agreed with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra:
- Thailand will not allow any violation of its sovereignty under any circumstances, with fully reinforced defence.
- I (Mr Phumtham) affirm my full support for the military in carrying out its duties and extend my encouragement to all personnel safeguarding Thailand’s territory, with every action prioritising the lives, safety and well-being of border residents and the dedicated personnel.
- The Thai government has rejected the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) since 1960 and remains committed to bilateral negotiations under the 2000 MOU, which both parties agreed upon, affirming the Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) as the best stage to resolve the matters through peaceful means as soon as possible.
- Thailand maintains its previous stance that both sides must move their forces to the original positions, as in 2024 practices, to reduce tensions and prevent further confrontation.
“Finally, I confirm that I never support any actions by anyone that violate Thailand’s sovereignty,” he said.
“The government and military will together stand ready to protect the country to the fullest extent.”
