A letter from Cambodia’s permanent representative to the United Nations has surfaced, revealing a request made on June 16 for the prevention of armed conflict with Thailand to be included in the United Nations General Assembly agenda.
The letter, available in the UN database, highlights Cambodia’s approach to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on June 15 to resolve the border dispute with Thailand.
Thailand, however, does not recognise the ICJ’s jurisdiction, advocating for bilateral resolutions via the Joint Boundary Commission of the two nations.
The Cambodian letter underscores ongoing border tensions, referencing the Franco-Siamese treaties of 1904 and 1907, and the court’s 1962 and 2013 rulings affirming Cambodia’s sovereignty over the Preah Vihear temple and its surrounding area.
The letter particularly mentions a serious armed confrontation on May 28 in the Mom Bei area, which Cambodia claims threatens regional peace and stability between it and Thailand.
It further describes bilateral negotiation attempts as unsuccessful, attributing the escalation to remarks by Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang, commander of Thailand’s Second Army Region overseeing northeastern Thailand.
Cambodia has urged the UN General Assembly to deliberate on the dispute, asserting its need for ICJ intervention due to unsuccessful bilateral efforts.
It remains uncertain whether the General Assembly will accept the request for discussion.
In Thailand, a source from the Second Army Region alleged that recent sightings of Cambodian troops in disputed areas were deliberate provocations, noting soldiers filming their interaction with Thai forces.
The encounter between Thai and Cambodian troops occurred in the Ta Muen Thom Temple area in Surin province on June 27 and gained widespread attention on social media.
In the video, Cambodian troops are shown gesturing towards and reprimanding their Thai counterparts. The incident reportedly began when tourists were warned to vacate the area promptly.
The unnamed source suggested the Cambodian unit intended to provoke, as they had video equipment ready to capture the interaction.
Footage purportedly shows several Cambodian soldiers filming the encounter from multiple angles while others attempted to incite an argument.
The video is believed to be used by Cambodian information operatives to boost troop morale and fuel nationalist sentiment against Thailand.
The anonymous army source assured that Thai soldiers are aware of such tactics and possess suitable countermeasures, reported Bangkok Post.
The story Cambodia seeks UN intervention over border tensions with Thailand as seen on Thaiger News.
