Summary of Press Briefing on Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation

on the case of the Ban Nong Chan area, Sa Kaeo Province

By the Director-General of the Department of Information and MFA Spokesperson

and the Director-General of the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs

on 22 August 2025 at 14:30 hrs.

MFA Press Conference Room and MFA FB LIVE / Tik Tok LIVE

• Today’s briefing on the Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation focused on the case of the Ban Nong Chan area, Sa Kaeo Province. Cambodia has claimed that the Thai side installation of barbed wire in the Ban Nong Chan area is within Cambodia’s territory.
  
  
• The Royal Thai Army and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have issued statements to clarify the situation. Today (22 August 2025), the First Army Area is currently leading the Interim Observer Team (IOT) to visit Ban Nong Chan to observe and gather factual information on the ground.
  
  
• However, both the Thai and Cambodian sides have continued to express opposing views on this issue, each asserting that this area falls under their respective sovereignty
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• The Ban Nong Chan area originally served as a temporary shelter for Cambodians fleeing combat in the past but has expanded over the years thereafter despite continuous protests by Thailand due to its encroachment on Thai territory. The Thai side has consistently protested this violation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 2000 between Thailand and Cambodia, while the Cambodian side has never taken any kind of action or responded to those protests.
  
  
• As for the installation of barbed wire, this was done within Thai territory with the intention to protect Thai sovereignty and territorial integrity and the safety of the Thai people, and also to prevent further infiltration by the Cambodian side to place landmines in Thai territory, which regrettably has already happened. Thailand’s actions are in line with the outcomes of the recent Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting in Malaysia, which affirmed that both sides will not enhance military infrastructure or fortifications beyond their own side.
  
  

In addition, Mr. Benjamin Sukanjanajtee, Director-General of the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs, provided further details, as follows:

• Ban Nong Chan in Khok Sung District, Sa Kaeo Province, which lies between Boundary Pillars 46 and 47, is an area where Cambodian people have built houses encroaching on Thai territory. The boundary pillars follow the Siam - France Treaty of 1907, along a straight line.
  
  
• In 1981, Thailand permitted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to set up a temporary shelter for Cambodian displaced persons fleeing the civil war. For security purposes, the military set up a fence to restrict the area.
  
  
• Although the civil war ended in 1999, many Cambodian villagers did not return to Cambodia afterwards. Instead, they remained in the vicinity of the border and over time, the settlement expanded, while the original fence was dismantled.
  
  
• Between 2002 and 2005, the National Security Council discussed this matter on four occasions and concluded that the relevant agencies should prevent further expansion of the Cambodian community while simultaneously engaging in peaceful negotiations with the Cambodian side to expedite boundary survey and demarcation in the area.
  
  
• From 28 to 30 August 2002, the Ministry and the Royal Thai Survey Department held discussions with Mr. Var Kim Hong, Chairman of the Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) at the time. The Thai side requested the relocation of the group of Cambodians, while the Cambodian side responded that relocation could only take place after the precise boundary line between Border Pillars 46 and 47 had been verified.
  
  
• In September 2017, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs submitted a protest letter to the Cambodian side concerning the expansion of the settlement at Ban Nong Chan, where a Cambodian flag was raised and Cambodian administrative offices were established. Such actions were considered violations of Thailand’s sovereignty as well as of Article 5 of the MOU 2000. Later, the Thai side demanded the removal of the Cambodian flag and the relocation of the Cambodian villagers. However, the Cambodian side neither replied nor formally rejected the protest letter.
  
  
• Ban Nong Chan is situated within Thai territory and Thailand has continuously exercised jurisdiction and sovereignty over this area. Thailand has also permitted the setting up of a temporary shelter for Cambodian displaced persons on humanitarian grounds. However, Thailand has not accepted the expansion of the community living there, nor does it affect the international boundary between Thailand and Cambodia under international law.
  
  
• Thailand did not initially consider this matter a boundary dispute as our stance all along has been to temporarily shelter displaced Cambodians. However, once Cambodia began to claim the area as Cambodian territory, Thailand was obliged to protest and clarify the facts, which the Royal Thai government has done consistently.

Watch the full session at: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CtTDsXyeL/?mibextid=wwXIfr