Luy David Rejects Pressure to Drop Cambodia-Thailand Border Issue
Luy David Rejects Pressure to Drop Cambodia-Thailand Border Issue
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 2, 2026 — Cambodia’s ambassador to France, Luy David, says he rejected an appeal reportedly made through a third-country ambassador to persuade him not to raise the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute at a Francophonie forum.
In a Facebook post cited by Cambodian media, Luy David said the Thai ambassador had sought to have another country’s ambassador approach him and ask him to refrain from discussing the border issue at a Francophonie forum. He described the move as “ridiculous” and said he had made Cambodia’s position clear.
Luy David said he told the intermediary that Cambodia had been subjected to what he described as Thai aggression and that attempts to distort the facts would not prevent him from raising the issue internationally.
“As a Cambodian diplomat, I have a duty to protect the national interest, defend the truth and make clear to the international community which side is the aggressor and which side is the victim,” he said, according to the report.
He added that he saw no reason for Cambodia to remain silent about the border dispute, despite Phnom Penh’s stated commitment to resolving outstanding issues with Thailand peacefully.
Border dispute reaches Francophonie arena
The dispute comes as Cambodia prepares to host the 20th Francophonie Summit in Phnom Penh on Nov. 15-16, 2026.
Cambodian Ambassador Luy David is also serving as vice-president of the political committee preparing the summit.
Cambodia has previously raised the border issue within Francophonie-related meetings. In February, Luy David called for greater support for Cambodian women and girls displaced by the Cambodia-Thailand border conflict at a governance meeting of the “La Francophonie avec Elles” fund.
He has also briefed Francophone countries on Cambodia’s claims concerning Thai actions along the border, including alleged installations of containers and barbed wire that Cambodia says have prevented displaced residents from returning home.
Cambodia has consistently said it wants the border dispute resolved through peaceful dialogue, bilateral mechanisms and international law, while maintaining that it will continue to protest and publicise what it considers violations of its sovereignty.
The latest exchange underscores how the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute continues to spill into multilateral diplomatic forums, even as both sides maintain a formal commitment to avoiding renewed armed confrontation.
