Cambodian PM Appeals to ASEAN and World Leaders Over Thai Ceasefire Violations
Cambodian PM Appeals to ASEAN and World Leaders Over Thai Ceasefire Violations
Phnom Penh, Sept. 17, 2025 – Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Bovor Thipadei Hun Manet has written urgent letters to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in his capacity as ASEAN Chair, and to key world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald J. Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, and President of the 80th Session of the U.N. General Assembly Annalena Baerbock, seeking their support in ensuring the full and effective implementation of the ceasefire and agreements reached between Cambodia and Thailand.
The appeal comes amid escalating tensions along the Cambodia–Thailand border. In his letters, Hun Manet detailed how Thai forces have expanded the conflict zone beyond Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces into Banteay Meanchey, forcibly evicting Cambodian villagers from their homes and farmland in Chouk Chey and Prey Chan villages. Twenty-five families have already been displaced, while Thai military spokesmen have threatened further evictions, potentially affecting hundreds more.
According to credible reports, Thailand intends to use force to seize territory at 17 additional locations across provinces stretching from Pursat to Koh Kong. These actions are based on unilaterally drawn Thai maps, which run counter to mutually recognized maps from the 1904 and 1907 treaties between France and Siam, reaffirmed under the 2000 MOU on Land Boundary Demarcation, duly registered with the United Nations.
The Cambodian leader strongly condemned Thailand’s unilateral measures, describing them as:
– A violation of Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity;
– A breach of the UN Charter, the ASEAN Charter, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and international human rights law;
– A direct contravention of recent commitments made at the General Border Committee (GBC) and Regional Border Committee (RBC) meetings, where both sides pledged not to escalate tensions or expand disputes.
Hun Manet urged the international community to support Cambodia in calling for:
– Strict adherence to the ceasefire and all agreements reached at the GBC and RBC;
– An immediate halt to unilateral actions, including forced evictions and military incursions;
– The safe return of displaced Cambodian villagers to their homes and lands;
– The use of Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) and GBC mechanisms to resolve disputes peacefully;
– The unconditional release of 18 Cambodian soldiers currently detained in Thailand.
Reaffirming Cambodia’s commitment to peace, Hun Manet stressed that Cambodia stands ready to work with Thailand, ASEAN, and the international community to preserve stability, deepen cooperation, and safeguard the well-being of both nations’ peoples. 
