Prime Minister Hun Manet has used a regional inter-governmental forum to share Cambodia’s ongoing concerns with what he called Thailand’s failure to participate in agreed-upon measures that aim to resolve the current border crisis.
While addressing the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on October 15, he outlined how Thailand has failed to dispatch a Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) team to begin border demarcation, despite this being a key component of the joint statement which accompanied the December 27, 2025, ceasefire.
He also noted that almost 20,000 displaced Cambodian civilians remain unable to return to the homes, largely due to ongoing occupation of Cambodian territory by the Thai military.
Manet highlighted how summit is being held at a time of “profound geopolitical and geoeconomic transformations”.
He noted that heightened strategic competition, protracted conflicts, economic fragmentation, disruptions to global supply chains, transnational crime and other emerging security challenges are eroding international trust and testing the resilience of multilateralism.
He also lauded the Baku Declaration, adopted at the conference, which formalised a multilateral consensus to mitigate military-political, ecological, and economic risks, while encouraging intercivilisational dialogue. The declaration includes respect for the UN Charter, international law, sovereign equality, territorial integrity and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
“They are indispensable foundations for peace and stability. Cambodia firmly believes these principles must be upheld consistently and equally for all states,” he said.
He called for disputes between states to be addressed through peaceful means, dialogue and international law, reiterating that borders and sovereignty must never be altered by the use or threat of force.
Manet noted that the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand continues to hold, but the situation remains complex.
Core issues of territorial integrity and sovereignty under international law and existing agreements remain unresolved, he explained, adding that Cambodia is concerned about the situation on the ground in areas occupied by Thai troops inside Cambodian territory.
“Border demarcation by the JBC, which is key to the peaceful settlement of the dispute, has not yet been implemented on the ground, despite being clearly stipulated in mutual agreements between Cambodia and Thailand, including the Kuala Lumpur Declaration and the Joint Statement,” he said.
“Delays in implementing these agreements have prevented about 20,000 Cambodians from returning home safely and with dignity,” he added.
Manet reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to resolving outstanding issues with Thailand peacefully through existing bilateral mechanisms and agreements, and in accordance with international law, while safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We believe dialogue, de-escalation and the peaceful implementation of bilateral agreements, especially border demarcation through the JBC and other agreed confidence-building measures, are crucial to creating the conditions for a fair and lasting settlement of the dispute and peaceful coexistence,” he said.
“This is precisely the spirit of dialogue, confidence-building and peaceful coexistence that CICA seeks to advance across our continent,” he added.
He also congratulated CICA for its commendable progress in enhancing its relevance and contributions as a pan-Asian platform for dialogue, confidence-building, cooperation and consensus-based decision-making.