Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has accused Thailand of continuing to occupy Cambodian territory despite a peace accord brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, calling on Bangkok to allow a technical border demarcation process to begin and defuse the risk of renewed conflict.
In his first interview with international media since assuming office in 2023, Hun Manet said Thai military forces had established positions deep inside areas recognised by Cambodia as its own, even after the December 2025 ceasefire that followed weeks of intense border clashes last year. The fighting was the worst between the two Southeast Asian neighbours in over a decade, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and disrupting cross‑border trade.
“We still have Thai forces occupying deep into Cambodian territory in many areas,” Hun Manet told Reuters on Tuesday, describing the situation as “facts on the ground” rather than an accusation. He said Thai troops had laid down shipping containers and barbed wire inside what Cambodia considers its sovereign territory, actions that have prevented residents from returning home.
Hun Manet is in Washington to attend a meeting of Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’, a U.S.‑led initiative initially established to support peace efforts in Gaza but, according to Trump, can play a broader role in conflict de‑escalation. The Cambodian leader described the border situation as “fragile” and urged Thailand to allow the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) a technical mechanism rooted in treaties and past agreements to begin demarcating the disputed frontier so that normal life can resume.
Cambodia’s prime minister said Bangkok had previously cited Thailand’s Feb. 8 national election as a reason for delaying JBC work. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his Bhumjaithai Party secured a decisive victory in that election on the back of nationalist sentiment after the border conflict. Hun Manet said that with the election concluded, Thailand should now allow border demarcation “at least on a technical level” so communities can return to their homes and livelihoods.
Thai authorities have denied that their forces are occupying Cambodian territory, saying they were maintaining positions agreed under de‑escalation measures and that there were no new troop reinforcements. The Thai foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment about Hun Manet’s latest assertions.
The clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops in 2025 stemmed from a longstanding border dispute rooted in unclear colonial‑era boundary lines and control over areas near ancient temple sites, including the UNESCO‑listed Preah Vihear temple. A previous peace deal mediated by Trump and Malaysia’s prime minister in October 2025 collapsed within weeks, and a second ceasefire agreed at the end of December has held tenuously amid the ongoing tensions.
Hun Manet a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and son of long‑time leader Hun Sen has sought to balance ties between the United States and China, saying Cambodia’s foreign policy is not a choice between the two powers. He also touched on efforts by his government to address cyber scam operations that have proliferated in Cambodia and draw international scrutiny, asserting that authorities are taking action against those involved.
The latest dispute shows how fragile the post‑ceasefire situation remains and highlights the challenges ahead in stabilising relations between Cambodia and Thailand even after formal agreements were signed with external mediation.
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