Unofficial Translation
Press Release
The Spokeswoman of the Ministry of National Defence of the Kingdom of Cambodia wishes to inform the public as well as members of national and international media as follows:
On Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., the Cambodian Liaison Group (CLG) coordinated a field visit for the ASEAN Observer Team in Cambodia (AOT-KH), led by the Head of Mission (AOT KH HOM) from the Philippines to observe, verify, and report on the situation along the Cambodia-Thailand border, and to inspect the illegal deployment of shipping containers, installation of barbed wire, construction of trenches, embankments, and roads, and occupation of Cambodian territory by Thai military forces at the O’ Smach International Point of Entry, in the O’ Kla Khmom area of O’ Kla Khmom Village, O’ Smach District, Samrong Municipality, Oddar Meanchey Province, which has prevented 366 Cambodian civilians—equivalent to 98 families (including 190 women and 101 children)—from returning to their homes.
The ASEAN Observer Team's (AOT) observation, verification, and report at the abovementioned locations underscore the absolute necessity for the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) to launch border demarcation work as soon as possible. This alignment adheres to existing agreements, specifically point four of the Joint Statement from the 3rd Special Meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) on December 27, 2025, which aims to ensure that our citizens can safely, peacefully, and with dignity return to their homes without any obstruction.
Cambodia maintains a firm stance on protecting the Cambodia–Thailand international border as inherited from the Commission of Delimitation of the Boundary between Indo-China and Siam, in full and strict respect of international law principles, the principle of the inviolability of frontier (Uti Possidetis Juris), the Franco-Siamese Conventions and Treaties, the Protocol concerning the delimitation of the boundary, Maps which are the result of the demarcation works of the Commissions of Delimitation of the boundary between Indo-China and Siam, the Procès-Verbaux of the meeting and Procès-Verbaux of Abornement of the Commissions between Indo-China and Siam, the MOU 2000, the TOR 2003, as well as relevant agreements and documents previously agreed upon by both parties.
In this sense, Cambodia absolutely does not recognize any border alterations resulting from the use of force and illegal territorial occupation through the creation of a
fait accompli on the ground, and will continue to formally protest to the Thai side against any unilateral or abusive actions by the Thai side against Cambodia's legitimate territorial integrity.
The public, as well as national and international journalists, are hereby informed of the facts regarding this matter.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
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