AKP Phnom Penh, September 30, 2026 --

A spokesperson for Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior has forcefully rejected claims made by Thailand’s representative to the United Nations regarding the status of two border villages, calling on the Thai side to resolve boundary disputes through bilateral mechanisms rather than unilateral actions.

H.E. Touch Sokhak, deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, responded on Wednesday to Thai assertions that Cambodian residents in Chouk Chey and Prey Chan villages are illegally occupying Thai territory.

"We completely reject the claims made by the Thai representative to the United Nations alleging that Cambodian citizens in Chouk Chey and Prey Chan villages are living on Thai soil," H.E. Touch Sokhak said.

He emphasised that the international boundary between the two nations is governed by historical treaties – specifically the Franco-Siamese Convention of 1904, the Treaty of 1907, and associated maps – with the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) as the proper venue for field demarcation.

"If Thailand is confident in its territorial claims, it should expedite joint demarcation efforts through the JBC rather than sending troops to invade, erect barbed wire, set up shipping containers, dig trenches, or create facts on the ground to manipulate the border line," he said.

The spokesperson stressed that the most urgent issue under international law is the displacement of roughly 20,000 Cambodian villagers who remain unable to return home after their communities were illegally occupied and damaged by Thai military forces.

He urged Thailand to demonstrate commitment by actively engaging in joint field surveys under the JBC framework to resolve outstanding border disputes, while ensuring the safe return of displaced Cambodian civilians in accordance with previous joint declarations.

By K. Rithy Reak