Cambodia urges UN intervention as Thai military aggression ‘threatens regional peace’
Cambodia urges UN intervention as Thai military aggression ‘threatens regional peace’
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has appealed to the UN Security Council (UNSC) for urgent intervention to halt what he described as unprovoked and premeditated military aggression by Thailand, following a deadly cross-border attack that Cambodia says gravely threatens regional peace and security.
In a strongly worded July 24 letter to ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN and current rotating president of the Security Council, Manet called on the Council to convene an urgent meeting to discuss Thailand’s actions and take steps to prevent further escalation.
According to the letter, the Thai armed forces launched deliberate attacks early on July 24 against Cambodian positions in border areas, specifically Ta Mone Thom Temple, Ta Krabey Temple, and Mom Bei, located in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces.
Cambodia condemned the attack as a blatant violation of international law, citing the UN Charter and the ASEAN Charter, both of which prohibit the use of force against the territorial integrity of another state.
“This military attack flagrantly violated the principle of non-aggression and peaceful resolution of disputes,” Manet wrote, adding that Cambodia has consistently upheld the spirit of good neighbourliness and sought peaceful dialogue, both bilaterally and internationally.
Manet recalled that tensions along the Cambodian-Thai border have persisted despite the existence of legal instruments such as the 1904 and 1907 Franco-Siamese Conventions, and the 2000 memorandum of understanding (MoU) on land demarcation.
He accused Thailand of baselessly claiming sovereignty over the border area using a unilaterally drawn map that contradicts its commitments under the 2000 MoU.
As justification for the current hostilities, the Thai side allegedly raised unfounded accusations regarding a landmine explosion, despite Thai troops having deviated from previously coordinated patrol routes and entered Cambodian territory through known, documented minefields.
The prime minister emphasised that this military provocation occurred even as Cambodia was pursuing legal avenues for dispute resolution.
On June 2, Cambodia referred the dispute over four contested sites — Mom Bei and the Ta Mone Thom, Ta Mone Touch and Ta Krabey temples — to the UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Cambodia also hosted a Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting with Thailand on June 14–15 in Phnom Penh, as part of ongoing dialogue efforts.
“Considering the recent extremely grave aggressions by Thailand, which threaten peace and stability in the region, I earnestly request you to convene an urgent meeting of the Security Council to stop Thail aggression,” Manet wrote.
He requested that the letter be circulated among all Security Council members as an official document of the Council.
Source: Khmer Post
