AKP Phnom Penh, June 20, 2025 --

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, H.E. Gen. Tea Seiha, has stated that Thailand has violated the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU 2000) in approximately 695 instances, including unauthorised road construction and border patrol activities.

“Thailand has temporarily violated the MoU in 695 cases. I say ‘temporarily’ because there may be more — such as road construction and patrolling — conducted without prior notification to the Cambodian side,” he emphasised.

His remarks were made this morning during the commemoration of the 48th Anniversary of Remembrance Day of the “Journey to Overthrow the Pol Pot Genocidal Regime” (June 20, 1977 – June 20, 2025), organised at the Techo Koh Thmar X16 military historical site in Memut district, Thbong Khmum province.

Referring to a recent Cambodia–Thailand Joint Border Commission (JBC) meeting held in Phnom Penh, H.E. Gen. Tea Seiha said the Thai side had accused Cambodia of violating the MoU, citing trivial activities such as rice planting and singing.

“These accusations are absurd. In reality, it is the Thai side that has committed around 695 violations, including road construction and military patrols in sensitive areas,” he stressed.

He further explained that while Thailand claims its troop deployments are for national protection, Cambodia’s deployment of forces is likewise intended to safeguard its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

H.E. Gen. Tea Seiha reiterated that bilateral mechanisms cannot function effectively when the two countries use different maps. If Cambodia and Thailand continue to use different maps — Cambodia using internationally recognized maps, and Thailand using a unilaterally drawn one — then even in 10, 100, or 1,000 years, resolving the border issue through bilateral mechanisms will be impossible, he said.

(Photo: AKP-Thbong Khmum)

By Heng Panha