AKP Phnom Penh, September 29, 2025 --  

The Banteay Meanchey Provincial Administration of Cambodia has strongly protested against the Sa Kaeo Provincial Administration of Thailand for raising banners on Sept. 28 that sought to apply Thai domestic laws on Cambodian citizens living in Chork Chey and Prey Chan villages, O’ Beichoan commune, O’ Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey province.

In a protest letter dated Sept. 28 addressed to his Sa Kaeo counterpart, H.E. Oum Reatry, Governor of Banteay Meanchey, stressed that such repeated actions pose a serious threat to the rights of innocent Cambodian citizens who have long lived and worked in the two villages, even before the Memorandum of Understanding between Cambodia and Thailand on the Survey and Demarcation of Land Boundary (MoU 2000) came into effect.

The Banteay Meanchey Provincial Administration clarified that the Sa Kaeo Provincial Administration do not have the authority to demarcate the border or enforce Thai domestic laws on Cambodian communities in areas where the boundary line has yet to be finalised. According to the MoU 2000 and the minutes of the Special Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting held on Sept. 10, 2025, both parties agreed to maintain the status quo until border demarcation is completed.

The letter further stressed that such unilateral actions amount to provocations that escalate tensions in the conflict area, violating the July 28, 2025 ceasefire agreement, the outcomes of the Extraordinary GBC Meeting on Aug. 7, 2025, the Extraordinary Regional Border Committee (RBC) Meetings, as well as the minutes of the Special GBC Meeting of Sept. 10, 2025. At that meeting, both sides agreed to avoid actions that undermine mutual trust, create misunderstandings, or expand the scope and scale of the conflict. In particular, point 8 of the minutes states:

“8.1. Regarding the incident in the area of Chork Chey village, O’ Beichoan commune, Banteay Meanchey, Kingdom of Cambodia, opposite Nong Chan village, Khok Sung district, Sa Kaeo province, Kingdom of Thailand, the two sides agreed as follows:

8.1.1. The two sides recognised that the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) is the appropriate mechanism to resolve issues related to joint survey and border demarcation, and agreed to place this issue as a priority item for the next JBC meeting.

8.1.2. The two sides tasked the RBC to manage the issue as soon as possible in accordance with the JBC’s discussions.

During this period, the Governors of Banteay Meanchey and Sa Kaeo shall coordinate closely to maintain peace on the ground and halt all activities that may escalate tensions or conflict.”

Therefore, the Banteay Meanchey Provincial Administration has requested its Sa Kaeo counterpart to take immediate measures to halt the above-mentioned activities and maintain the agreed status quo. Governor Oum Reatry expressed his strong hope that Sa Kaeo province will sincerely adhere to the ceasefire conditions and suspend its plan to evict hundreds of families from their homes and lands where they have lived for decades, while patiently awaiting the JBC’s resolution of the border demarcation issue.

By C. Nika