Cambodia Accuses Thailand of Violating Ceasefire as Border Tensions Escalate

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has accused Thailand of violating last year’s ceasefire agreement by pushing military forces into Cambodian territory, leaving approximately 80,000 Cambodians unable to return to their homes. In an exclusive interview, Manet told Fox News Digital that Thai forces have sealed off villages with barbed wire and shipping containers beyond even Thailand’s own territorial claims.

“The occupation is beyond even Thailand’s unilateral claim,” Manet said. “Many of the villagers cannot go back to their hometowns.”

The dispute centers on sections of the 500-mile land border between the two Southeast Asian nations, much of which was established during French colonial rule and later interpreted differently by both governments. The contested boundary has been a flashpoint for decades, periodically erupting into armed conflict.

Tensions escalated again last year when fighting broke out along disputed frontier areas, displacing thousands of civilians on both sides. The clashes prompted diplomatic intervention that culminated in a ceasefire agreement brokered with U.S. involvement during an ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur. Then-President Donald Trump took credit for helping to negotiate the agreement, stating at the time: “Who else could say, ‘I’m going to make a phone call and stop a war between two very powerful countries, Thailand and Cambodia?'”

Recent reports and images show damage to structures near the border, including areas close to the UNESCO-listed Preah Vihear temple complex. This has raised concerns about the safety of important cultural heritage sites in the contested zones. Cambodian officials blame Thai forces for the damage, while Thai officials have denied deliberately targeting religious or cultural landmarks.

Despite the allegations, Manet emphasized his government’s commitment to peaceful resolution. “Our position is to always stick to peaceful resolutions,” he said. “We don’t believe that using war to stop a war is sustainable or practical.” This approach is particularly significant given Thailand’s population of more than 70 million—approximately four times Cambodia’s 17 million—and its significantly larger and better-equipped military.

In an effort to address the escalating situation, Manet traveled to Washington this week for the inaugural meeting of Trump’s Board of Peace. “The Board of Peace can play an active role in promoting peace, stability and normalcy between Cambodia and Thailand,” Manet said.

Hun Manet, who took office in 2023 succeeding his father Hun Sen’s nearly four-decade rule, has been working to maintain a delicate balance in Cambodia’s foreign relations. As a West Point graduate, he has sought to maintain close ties with China while cautiously reopening channels with Washington, including restoring joint military exercises that had been suspended in 2017.

This diplomatic balancing act was recently demonstrated at Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, a strategic facility on the country’s southern coast that was rebuilt with Chinese financing. In January, the USS Cincinnati docked at Ream, marking the first U.S. warship visit since the base renovation. The American vessel was positioned just 150 meters from a Chinese naval ship already at the base, creating a striking visual representation of Cambodia’s non-aligned approach.

Responding to longstanding U.S. concerns about exclusive Chinese access to the base, Manet insisted that the facility remains under Cambodian control. “Our constitution says that no foreign military base [can] be situated on Cambodian soil,” he stated. The U.S. visit, according to Manet, “clearly shows that Cambodia is not exclusively used as a naval base for cooperation with China.”

Manet also confirmed that the annual U.S.-Cambodia military exercises known as Angkor Sentinel, suspended in 2017, will resume this year—a further sign of improving defense relations with the United States. “We hope to have expanding cooperation with the U.S.,” he said.

The Thai embassy was not available for comment on Manet’s allegations regarding border violations.