Cambodia calls for international mediation in border dispute with Thailand

By The Cambodia Daily
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet has appealed to world leaders to help resolve his country’s simmering border dispute with Thailand.
During recent meetings in China, Hun Manet told United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that third-party monitoring would be essential if the conflict is to be settled peacefully.
According to a statement from the Cambodian government’s spokesperson unit, Hun Manet raised the cases of two villages in Banteay Meanchey province where Thai forces have reportedly erected barbed wire and forced Cambodian residents from their homes. The prime minister asked international partners to intervene in order to ensure the ceasefire is fully respected and monitored, and to prevent the conflict zone from expanding further.
The government statement warned that the use of military force to occupy land and the forced eviction of civilians could spark a fresh outbreak of armed clashes. Independent monitoring, it argued, would not only uphold international law but also help deter further escalation.
On September 4, Cambodia released a report stressing that it has pursued every diplomatic avenue available under international law to protest against Thailand’s actions. Phnom Penh and Bangkok agreed to a 13-point ceasefire on August 7, yet tensions continue despite that deal.
In a separate development, Thailand’s military ties with the United States appear to be deepening. The US Navy’s Seventh Fleet announced that the submarine tender USS Frank Cable left the Thai island of Phuket on September 4 after a four-day port call as part of a broader deployment in the Asia-Pacific. The vessel serves as a mobile support base for submarines and other warships.
Meanwhile, Thailand and the US recently concluded joint air force exercises known as Enduring Partners 2025. The drills, held in late August in Korat province, involved aerial refueling missions using American KC-135 Stratotankers and Thai F-16 fighters. The maneuvers underscored the two countries’ long-standing defense partnership, which dates back more than seven decades.
Cambodia’s appeal for outside mediation highlights both the fragility of the ceasefire and the wider regional stakes as major powers deepen their security cooperation in Southeast Asia.