AKP Phnom Penh, July 25, 2025 --

“Thailand’s actions constitute a deliberate and premeditated invasion of Cambodian territory,” said H.E. Kung Phoak, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

His statement came as part of a high-level briefing led by Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, to update members of the diplomatic corps in Cambodia—including defence attachés—on recent developments concerning the Cambodia-Thailand border conflict.

According to H.E. Kung Phoak, the Deputy Prime Minister urged Thailand to immediately cease all hostilities and called for a ceasefire to halt further aggression against Cambodia.

“Our position is rooted in the legitimate right to self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, to safeguard Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he stressed.

H.E. Kung Phoak emphasised that Cambodia is not the aggressor and is acting strictly to defend its lawful territory, based on internationally recognised legal instruments.

“We are not using a unilateral map to claim land,” he noted. “Cambodia seeks a peaceful resolution in accordance with international law. That includes using the mechanisms of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve disputes concerning four sensitive areas (Tamone Thom, Tamone Toch, Ta Krabey temple complexes, and the Mom Bei area) based on the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding, which the ICJ referenced in its 1962 and 2013 judgments.”

He further noted that Thailand had turned away from peaceful resolution, even as Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim—as the rotating ASEAN Chair—had expressed a willingness to mediate an end to the conflict.

During the briefing, H.E. Prak Sokhonn reaffirmed Cambodia’s unwavering commitment to resolving the border issue peacefully, through internationally recognised legal frameworks. At the same time, he underscored that Cambodia retains its right to self-defence under the UN Charter—to protect its sovereignty, territory, and citizens—while targeting only military objectives.

“What Thailand is doing now not only escalates tensions along the border, but also poses a threat to regional and international peace and stability,” H.E. Kung Phoak concluded.

By Heng Panha