Cambodian PM appeals to United Nations over Thai military escalations

Terry Felix On September 18, 2025 - 4:41 am In Asia

Phnom Penh, 17 September 2025 — Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet has written to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, raising urgent concerns over escalating Thai military actions along the Cambodia-Thailand border, which he described as a “grave threat to peace and stability” in the region.

In his letter, Hun Manet detailed violations of the 28 July 2025 Putrajaya ceasefire, citing reports that Thai armed forces have expanded conflict zones, erected barbed wire and barricades, issued ultimatums, and forcibly evicted Cambodian families from villages in Banteay Meanchey province. He warned that further planned evictions could affect hundreds of households, while credible sources indicate Thai intentions to seize territory at 17 other locations stretching from Pursat to Koh Kong.

Both sides agreed not to undertake provocative actions that may escalate tensions… or expand the scope and scale of the disputes.

The Prime Minister stressed that Thailand’s actions, based on unilaterally drawn maps, directly contravene internationally recognized boundary agreements, including the 1904 and 1907 treaties, the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding on boundary demarcation, and recent commitments made at General Border Committee (GBC) and Regional Border Committee (RBC) meetings.

These unilateral measures represent an unacceptable breach of Cambodia’s sovereignty, a clear violation of international law, and a dangerous provocation that risks violent confrontation,

The Cambodian leader called on Thailand to immediately cease all unilateral military actions, respect the ceasefire, end forced evictions, remove new barricades, and release 18 Cambodian soldiers currently held captive. He reaffirmed Cambodia’s strong commitment to resolving the dispute peacefully through bilateral mechanisms and ASEAN frameworks.

Hun Manet also appealed for the United Nations’ valuable support in ensuring full implementation of the ceasefire and related agreements, emphasizing that UN leadership and engagement are “instrumental in preserving stability and fostering a peaceful resolution.”

Below is the full transcript of the letter:

Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei HUN MANET Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia
Phnom Penh, 17 September 2025

His Excellency António Guterres
Secretary-General of the United Nations
New York

I have the honor and privilege to inform you that today I have written to H.E. Mr. Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, and Chair of ASEAN, to draw his attention over the recent developments along the Cambodia-Thailand border that pose a grave threat to peace and stability between the two nations and the wider region.

The ceasefire agreed on 28 July 2025 in Putrajaya halted the large-scale fighting that began on 24 July, which took place in the northern provinces of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey in Cambodia. However, it is regrettable that Thai military activities in violation of the ceasefire have continued and even extended beyond the original areas of conflict. Since 12 August, Thai forces have widened the conflict zone by erecting barbed wire and barricades, issuing ultimatums, and forcibly evicting Cambodian civilians from long-settled lands in Chouk Chey and Prey Chan villages of Banteay Meanchey Province, which is located in the north-western part of Cambodia, a few hundred kilometers away from the above conflict zones. Twenty-five families have already been blocked from their homes and fields, and Thai military spokesperson recently threatened further evictions in the very near future, potentially affecting hundreds of households comprised of about a thousand inhabitants.

In addition, based on credible sources, the Thai military has an intention of using forces to seize territory at 17 other locations in provinces from Pursat to Koh Kong, situated at the western and south-western parts of Cambodia.

The above unilateral actions taken by Thai military are based on its unilaterally drawn maps at scale 1/50,000, contrary to the mutually agreed maps at scale 1/200,000, which are the results of demarcation works of the Commission of Delimitation of the Boundary between Indo-China and Siam set up by the Convention of 1904 and the Treaty of 1907 between France and Siam, recognized by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and reaffirmed by Cambodia and Thailand in the Memorandum of Understanding on the Survey and Demarcation of Land Boundary signed on 14 June 2000 (MOU 2000). This MOU 2000 was registered at the United Nations by Thailand on 25 May 2011 and was published in the UN Treaty Series.

These unilateral actions by Thailand constitute an attempt to unilaterally demarcate the boundary through the use of forces, in direct violation of the MOU 2000, the mandate of the Cambodian-Thai Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC), and the commitments recorded in the recent GBC and Regional Border Committee (RBC) meetings:

“Both sides agreed not to undertake provocative actions that may escalate tensions… or expand the scope and scale of the disputes.”

These unilateral measures, including the extraterritorial application of Thai martial law, represent an unacceptable breach of Cambodia’s sovereignty and a clear violation of international law, including the UN Charter, the ASEAN Charter, and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. In addition, these unilateral actions not only constitute a grave infringement of human rights, but also create risks of violent confrontation. In the spirit of de-escalation and ASEAN centrality, I have requested the good offices of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, in his capacity as the ASEAN Chair, to urge Thailand:

– To adhere strictly to the ceasefire and relevant agreements reached at Putrajaya on 28 July 2025, as well as recent GBC and RBC meetings, and to immediately cease all unilateral actions, which may escalate tensions and expand the scale and scope of the conflict;
– To refrain from the use of force against civilians and properties;
– To remove the newly placed obstacles, such as barbed wire and tires, within areas where Cambodian people have been living for decades and within areas where demarcation has not been completed;
– To halt planned forced evictions, and to allow Cambodian people who have been evicted to return to their homes and land;
– To stop the use of military force to do unilateral boundary demarcation works and let existing bilateral mechanism, namely JBC, to continue to do the work in a peaceful manner, based on existing agreements, convention and treaty, and international law; and
– To immediately and unconditionally release and return the 18 Cambodian soldiers, who remain under the captivity of Thailand.

I also reaffirmed the strong commitment of Cambodia to a peaceful resolution of the dispute in full conformity with international law and to working with Thailand and ASEAN to preserve stability, foster cooperation, and promote the well-being of our peoples.

I truly hope that the above information will be received in a spirit of shared commitment to peace and constructive dialogue, and that Your Excellency will kindly consider offering your valuable support through appropriate channels to help encourage the full and effective implementation of the ceasefire and all the agreements reached by Cambodia and Thailand. Your continued leadership and engagement would be instrumental in preserving stability and fostering a peaceful resolution to the current situation.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Hun Manet