AKP Phnom Penh, February 07, 2026 --

Cambodia has requested historical and technical documents from France to bolster its legal claims in an escalating border dispute with Thailand, as regional observers move in to monitor reported military encroachments.

The Royal Government Spokesperson H.E. Pen Bona told reporters on Saturday that Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet sent a formal request to French President Emmanuel Macron on Feb. 4. 

The letter seeks expert technical support and access to colonial-era archives from the French protectorate period to verify international boundaries.

The move follows an offer from Paris to provide such evidence to help resolve the long-standing friction between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.

"The Prime Minister’s letter to President Macron marks a significant step in our peaceful diplomatic efforts to defend national sovereignty," H.E. Pen Bona said during a briefing at the Office of the Council of Ministers. "The Cambodia-Thailand border is an international boundary firmly supported by historical records that have long been internationally recognised."

The diplomatic surge comes as ASEAN Observation Teams (AOT) began site inspections on Friday in Pursat province’s Veal Veng district. The observers are verifying reports of Thai military activity in the "Chor 1" and "O'Thmar" zones.

Cambodia has filed a series of diplomatic protests against Bangkok, alleging that Thai forces have deployed shipping containers and barbed-wire fences to block Cambodian civilians from their properties. Cambodia further accuses Thai troops of destroying homes and establishing illegal military outposts in violation of international law.

The current tensions persist despite three recent rounds of Regional Border Committee (RBC) meetings and a peace framework established last year.

The dispute has drawn significant attention from global powers. In 2025, under Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship, the United States and China helped broker two ceasefires and a joint declaration of peace agreement signed in Kuala Lumpur.

The Philippines, the current ASEAN chair, is now tasked with overseeing the implementation of a 2025 joint declaration from the General Border Committee (GBC).

"Cambodia remains strictly committed to the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement and the principle of uti possidetis juris—the preservation of colonial-era frontiers," H.E. Pen Bona stated. "We will not recognise any border changes resulting from the use of force."

The spokesperson added that international monitoring is essential to ensure that Thai "encroachments" are documented and that both nations adhere to existing peace treaties.

By K. Rithy Reak