Phnom penh: Cambodian Minister of Information H.E. Neth Pheaktra has called on Thailand to withdraw its forces and military assets from Cambodian territory and allow displaced Cambodian civilians to return safely to their homes, emphasizing that claims of non-aggression must be demonstrated through actions rather than statements.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the Minister highlighted in a Facebook post on Aug. 26 that Thailand's Joint Information Centre (JIC) cannot erase evidence of Thai military actions on Cambodian soil through denials or competing narratives. He recalled that the conflicts in July and December 2025 resulted in loss of life, destruction of homes, pagodas, and infrastructure, and the displacement of approximately 650,000 Cambodian civilians. Around 20,000 displaced people remain unable to safely return to their homes and land, despite the commitment made under the Dec. 27, 2025 Joint Statement.
H.E. Neth Pheaktra stated that the situation remains unresolved, with shipping containers, barbed wire, barriers, military positions, trenches, and newly constructed roads still altering the situation on the ground and preventing some civilians from returning. He questioned why Thai forces and military assets remain at locations on Cambodian territory and why such measures have been taken if Thailand has no intention of occupying Cambodian land.
The Minister emphasized that Cambodia supports resolving outstanding border issues through mechanisms agreed upon by both countries, particularly the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC). He called on Thailand to respond constructively to Cambodia's JBC proposals so that joint survey and demarcation work can resume within the existing legal and bilateral framework.
He also reiterated that the Dec. 27 Joint Statement does not transfer sovereignty or recognize any new international boundary, but was intended to end violence, preserve peace, and create conditions for displaced civilians to return safely to their homes.
H.E. Neth Pheaktra further distinguished between effective control achieved through force and lawful sovereignty, adding that the deployment of troops, planting of flags, installation of barriers, digging of trenches, or construction of infrastructure cannot create lawful sovereign title over another state's territory.
He concluded by urging Thailand to withdraw its forces and military assets, remove obstacles preventing Cambodian civilians from returning, cease actions aimed at creating a fait accompli, and leave border survey and demarcation to the JBC in accordance with international law, applicable maps, and existing agreements.