Thai Navy threatens to escalate countermeasures if Cambodia refuses to remove infrastructure from Trat province

Thai Navy threatens to escalate countermeasures, accusing Cambodia of violating General Boundary Committee (GBC) agreement who neglected to demolish structures and fill canals in three areas in Thailand’s Trat province, which borders Cambodia’s Veal Veng district, Pursat province.
The Nation newspaper reported on September 16 that Deputy Spokesperson of the Royal Thai Navy, Parach Rattanaichaiyapan, issued a press release accusing Cambodian forces of violating and establish an operating base in Thai territory in Ban Chamreak village, Chamrok commune, Mueang district, Trat province, based on a 1/50,000 scale map. Cambodian citizens also built houses and used agricultural land in these three areas.
The same source claims that even though the Cambodian side knows that the area is under Thai sovereignty, Cambodian forces continue to occupy it. The Thai side has repeatedly notified the Cambodian side, but the Cambodian side has not cooperated.
The deputy spokesman for the Thai Navy stated that in the first area, Cambodia built a fence into Thai territory approximately 15 meters, and in the second area, Cambodia encroached into Thai territory approximately 125 meters, and in the third area, Cambodia encroached into Thai territory approximately 30 meters. Those areas are territories that Thailand has claimed under MOU 43 or the Memorandum of Understanding of 2000.
The statement comes as Cambodia and Thailand continue to hold General Boundary Committee (GBC) meetings to resolve border issues between the two countries according to the terms stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.Cambodian Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Maly Socheata issued a press release rejecting the statements of the Thai Navy spokesperson and the Chanthaburi-Trat Border Protection Command regarding the issue of the standoff, and the settlement of Cambodian citizens in Ekpheap village, Thma Da commune, Veal Veng district, Pursat province, nearby Ban Chamreak village, Cham Rok commune, Mueang district, Trat province.
The same source claims that regarding these issues, Cambodia has already provided a clear explanation through a letter of response from the 5th Military Region of Cambodia on February 1, 2022, in which Cambodia has also resolved some issues.Other remaining issues that are not under the mandate of the border unit, as well as local authorities along the border, Cambodia has already proposed that these issues be referred to the Joint Border Committee (JBC) for discussion. and resolved in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Cambodia and the Government of Thailand on the Measurement and Demarcation of the Land Border (MOU 2000).
The spokesperson stated that Cambodia has always affirmed its commitment to cooperate with the Thai side at all levels to promote peace, stability, cooperation and development for the benefit of both countries and peoples.
Regarding this issue, analysts say that the Thai army may expand its invasion to all provinces bordering Cambodia if the Cambodian government does not take specific, strong and clear measures because Thailand has already successfully used this tactic to invade Chok Chey and Prey Chan village, O Bei Choan commune, O Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey province.
The same source stated that the Thai navy’s accusations against the Cambodian army of occupying three areas in Trat province are also likely to divert attention from their invasion of Chok Chey and Prey Chan village. after the Thai soldiers had successfully laid barbed wire and dug trenches in Cambodian territory, Regarding this issue, Cambodian citizens live-streamed on social media Facebook the activities of Thai soldiers who sneaked into Prey Chan village, O’Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey province, on September 16, 2025.
Hundreds of residents of Chok Chey village worked together to remove all the barbed wire that the Thai army had deployed, and about 30 soldiers retreated.