Prime Minister Hun Manet has welcomed a positive response from former opposition lawmaker Um Sam An, who has agreed to send a delegation to Cambodia to discuss the issue of the Kingdom’s shared border with Thailand.
The prime minister has stipulated that the meeting can only take place after November 28, and prohibited all forms of political activity during the delegation’s stay in Cambodia.
Sam An previously claimed that the Kingdom has ceded land to Thailand between border markers 52 and 59, with Manet repeatedly inviting him to visit Cambodia and meet with border authorities to discuss his claims. Manet personally offered to guarantee Sam An’s safety while he is the Kingdom, while asking that he bring documents to support his claims.
In his latest approach, the prime minister suggested that Sam An send a delegation of representatives to discuss the issue, an invitation which was accepted this morning.
Sam An has pledged to submit the names of his delegation members before the end of October, and also expressed his desire to establish a new culture of political dialogue aimed at national reconciliation and unity.
“I welcome the positive response from Um Sam An to my invitation for him and his border experts to bring all documents and evidence they possess concerning the Cambodia–Thailand border between markers 52 and 59 for discussions with the specialists of the State Secretariat of Border Affairs in Cambodia,” Manet said.
The prime minister explained that the purpose of the meeting was to examine documents and evidence supporting Sam An’s allegations that the government and its border officials had placed boundary markers inside Cambodian territory, resulting in the loss of land to Thailand.
He maintained that his position had remained unchanged since the initial invitation, insisting that discussions should focus on specific documents, evidence and technical aspects of border demarcation rather than broader political issues.
To this end, Manet outlined four conditions for the proposed meeting.
Under the first condition, Sam An must assemble a team of experts with knowledge of border demarcation and prepare all available documents and evidence for examination by the government’s border officials.
The prime minister stressed that discussions must focus exclusively on the Cambodia–Thailand border between markers 52 and 59, where Sam An has alleged territorial losses, without expanding the agenda to cover the entire land or maritime boundary.
Under the second condition, Hun Manet prohibited the visiting delegation from engaging in activities unrelated to the discussions and verification of border documents, particularly any form of political activity, whether conducted openly or secretly, during its stay in Cambodia.
“They must not engage in any activities other than discussions and verification based on technical grounds and concrete documentary evidence with the government’s border team concerning the Cambodia–Thailand border between markers 52 and 59, particularly taking advantage of the opportunity to conduct political activities in any form, whether covertly or openly,” he said.
The fourth condition requires the delegation to arrive in Cambodia no more than two days before the discussions begin and leave no later than two days after the verification process is completed.
He noted that discussions could be arranged at any time after November 28, as the government would be occupied with the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF)sunnit, which it is hosting, as well as the third meeting of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Conciliation Committee.
Manet also clarified that his security guarantees for Sam An or his appointed representatives would apply exclusively to their visit for discussions and verification of documents concerning the border between markers 52 and 59, and only within the specified period.
The prime minister has requested details of the delegation’s composition, its expected arrival date and any assistance required from the government, including accommodation, transportation and security arrangements.
He also criticised Sam An for repeatedly changing his position regarding personal safety, requests for a pardon, the availability of supporting evidence and the scope of the proposed discussions.
The prime minister noted that Sam An had previously called for French border experts to participate before he would recognise the outcome of the discussions, and had also proposed addressing Cambodia’s entire border, rather than focusing specifically on markers 52 to 59.
Prior to the announcement of the new conditions, Sam An confirmed on social media that he would send a delegation representing him to Cambodia
“As politicians of the same new generation, I hope that Hun Manet and I can establish a new culture of dialogue to replace the Sam Rainsy–Hun Sen dialogue, in the spirit of national reconciliation, national unity, national solidarity and the defence of our territory against Thai aggression,” he said.
The latest exchange has moved preparations for the proposed border discussions closer to a specific timeline, but whether the meeting proceeds will depend on Sam An’s response to the four conditions.